LIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY  OK 
CALIFORNIA 

SAN  DIEGO 


UNIVERSITY  LIBRARY 
UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 

SAN  DIEGO 
Donated  in  memory  of 


John  W.    Snvder 


by 


His  Son  and  Daughter 


KING  OF  POLAND 


"The   Life=Story  and   Personal 
Reminiscences 


OF 


COL.  JOHN  SOBIESKI 

(A  LINEAL  DESCENDANT  OF  KING  JOHN  III,  OF  POLAND) 


WRITTEN  BY  HIMSELF 


TO   WHICH    IS  ADDED   HIS   POPULAR   LECTURE 


"THE  REPUBLIC  OF  POLAND" 


A  BRIEF  HISTORY  OF  POLAND 


WITH    ILLUSTRATIONS 


SHELBYVILLE,  ILL. 

J.  L.  DOUTHIT  &  SON,  PUBLISHERS 
19OO 


Copyright,  1900, 

BY 
J.  L.  DOUTHIT  &  SON. 


BROWN    A    WHITAKER,    PRINTERS,    HAMILTON,    OHIO. 


DEDICATION. 

To  my  comrades  in  the  United  States  army, 
who  served  with  me  in  behalf  of  national  unity;  to 
my  comrades  who  served  with  me  in  Mexico  in 
defense  of  that  republic ;  and  to  those  noble  men 
and  women  with  whom  I  have  for  more  than  thirty 
years  labored  in  behalf  of  the  temperance  and 
other  reforms,  this  volume  is  dedicated. 

THE  AUTHOR. 


INTRODUCTION. 

The  late  Dr.  Benjamin  Jowett  of  the  University 
of  Oxford  once  said:  "We  shall  come  in  the  future 
to  teach  almost  entirely  by  biography.  We  shall 
begin  with  the  life  that  is  most  familiar  to  us,  the 
life  of  Christ,  and  we  shall  more  and  more  put 
before  our  children  the  great  examples  of  persons' 
lives,  so  that  they  shall  have  from  the  beginning 
heroes  and  friends  in  their  thoughts." 

All  intelligent  adults  in  recalling  the  things 
that  most  influenced  their  early  lives  will  appreci- 
ate the  wisdom  of  Dr.  Jowett's  prophecy.  Multi- 
tudes of  the  wisest  and  best  will  testify  that  their 
first  ambition  for  a  noble  life  began  with  reading 
the  life-story  of  some  good  man  or  woman. 

What  a  quickening  to  faith  and  what  an  inspira- 
tion to  righteous  endeavor  is  that  account  in  the 
eleventh  chapter  of  Hebrews,  of  the  "great  cloud 
of  witnesses"  (martyrs  "of  whom  the  world  was 
not  worthy")  "who  through  faith  subdued  king- 
doms, wrought  righteousness,  stopped  the 
mouths  of  lions,  waxed  valiant  in  fight,"  etc.,  etc.! 

"  The  glorious  company  of  the  Apostles." 

"The  goodly  fellowship  of  the  Prophets." 

"  The  noble  army  of  Martyrs." 

It  is  the  life  and  example  of  such  that  move 
the  world. 


vi  Introduction. 

Many  millions  of  people  all  over  Christendom 
have  been  thrilled  with  admiration  and  moved  to 
thank  God  and  take  courage  at  the  story  of  the 
Polish  patriot  and  Christian  soldier,  King  John 
Sobieski,  who  in  a  mighty  battle  at  the  gates  of 
Vienna  ( A.  D.  1683 )  rescued  Christendom  from 
the  terrible  Moslem  invasion.  "That  hero's 
victory,  with  his  little  army  of  Poles  against  ten 
times  the  number  of  Turks,"  says  an  English  his- 
torian, "caused  all  Europe  to  ring  with  the  praise 
of  John  Sobieski  and  echo  the  words  chosen  by 
Pope  Innocent  for  his  text  when  the  great  news 
reached  Rome :  'There  was  a  man  sent  from  God, 
whose  name  was  John  '  (  John  1 :  6).  For  Sobieski 
had  not  merely  delivered  Austria — he  had  saved 
Europe." 

And  then  again,  how  our  youthful  hearts  have 
been  stirred  with  righteous  wrath  against  the 
oppressor,  and  warm  sympathy  with  the  oppressed, 
as  we  have  read  in  our  school-books  of  the  down- 
fall of  the  Polish  Republic,  and  the  cruel  partition 
of  that  country  by  the  three  great  powers,  Prussia, 
Russia,  and  Austria — this  last  named  being  the 
same  country  that  Poland's  brave  little  army  had 
delivered  from  Turkish  pillage  and  slaughter. 

"  Oh,  bloodiest  picture  in  the  book  of  time! 

*  *  *  *  ^  :£ 

Hope,  for  a  season,  bade  the  world  farewell, 
And  Freedom  shrieked  as  Kosciusko  fell." 


Introduction.  vii 

More  than  fifty  years  after  that  "  Battle  of 
Warsaw"  (1794)  which  Campbell  celebrates  in 
verse,  in  another  heroic  effort  for  Polish  freedom, 
Count  James  Sobieski,  the  lineal  descendant  of 
King  John  III.,  fell  as  Kosciusko  and  others  had 
fallen.  That  James  left  an  only  child,  a  son  six 
years  old,  named  John,  for  his  grandfathers.  This 
son,  with  an  inborn  enthusiasm  for  liberty,  having 
heard  of  free  America,  soon  after  his  father's  death 
found  his  way  to  this  country.  And  here  he  has 
been  for  forty-five  years,  giving  himself  entirely  to 
patriotic  and  humane  service:  for  the  first  ten 
years  in  the  regular  United  States  army  and 
through  many  battles;  then  for  two  years  helping 
Mexico  to  a  republic;  and  since  then  as  an  American 
citizen  he  has  spent  his  time  in  the  halls  of  legisla- 
tion and  the  field  of  reform  endeavoring  to  rescue 
the  weak  and  tempted  and  protect  the  home  from 
the  drink  demon. 

In  these  pages  is  given  for  the  first  time  the 
life-story  of  this  very  worthy  son  of  Poland's 
patriot  kings  and  defenders — a  son  who,  if  that 
people  were  free  to  choose,  might  to-day  be  ruler 
of  a  Polish  Republic. 

(Perhaps  it  ought  to  be  said,  that  while  the 
author  of  this  book  has  especially  requested  me  to 
give  this  introduction,  yet  he  has  not  been  consulted 
as  to 'what  I  shall  say  about  him  here,  and  will  not 


x  Introduction. 

and  makes  no  written  notes  in  preparing  them — 
a  most  remarkable  fact  for  one  who  has  been  so 
constantly  on  the  platform.  He  is  ready  at  a 
moment's  notice  to  give  a  speech  or  talk  on 
any  subject  with  which  he  is  familiar.  For  instance, 
a  friend  asked  for  a  copy  of  a  lecture  that  Colonel 
Sobieski  had  not  delivered  for  ten  years.  He  com- 
plied with  the  request  by  dictating  the  address 
exactly  as  delivered,  though  he  had  come  to  have 
different  views  since  that  time.  He  is  not  a  one- 
ideaed  man.  He  is  continually  surprising  his  inti- 
mate friends  by  his  varied  repertoire.  He  is  ready, 
seemingly,  at  any  time,  to  preach  a  sermon,  conduct 
a  funeral  service,  deliver  a  patriotic  address,  a 
Biblical  or  historical  lecture,  or  make  a  stump 
speech, — and  do  it  well, — always  stopping  when  his 
auditors  are  saying  "Go  on."  And  what  a  fund  of 
fact,  and  fresh  stories !  But  don't  ask  him  to  tell 
"that  story."  Ten  to  one  he  will  not.  It  must 
tell  itself,  as  it  were,  when  he  wishes  to  illustrate 
a  point. 

He  stands  almost  alone  in  being  so  very  radical 
and  outspoken  in  his  convictions  for  reform,  and 
yet  so  popular  with  people  of  all  classes  and  parties. 
The  reason  of  this  popularity  is  that  his  natural 
kindness  is  always  kindly  expressed,  and  he  habit- 
ually stands  for  fair  play  to  everybody.  Generous 
even  to  his  own  hurt, — he  can  hardly  say  no  to  a 
call  for  charity, — yet  he  is  always  strictly  honest,  and 


Introduction.  xi 

faithful  to  promises.  Once  when  an  organization 
of  which  he  was  a  member  got  so  embarrassed 
financially  that  a  majority  advised  repudiation, 
''Brother  John"  rose  in  his  might  with  a  thundering 
"No;"  (for,  though  habitually  gentle,  he  speaks 
with  mighty  emphasis  on  occasion).  "Give  me 
two  years'  time,"  said  he,  "and  I'll  raise  that  money 
(about  $8,000)  myself  rather  than  have  a  good 
cause  disgraced  by  repudiating  a  just  debt." 

And  he  did  it,  though  he  impoverished  himself 
in  the  doing.  It  was  just  like  him. 

For  habitual  buoyancy  of  spirit,  and  for  always 
seeing  the  roses  rather  than  the  thorns  in  life's 
pathway,  his  friends  say  they  have  never  known 
his  equal.  He  is  the  only  man  the  writer  ever 
heard  say  that  he  never  had  "the  blues,"  though 
he  often  suffers  excruciating  pain  from  that  bullet- 
shot  through  his  body  and  stomach — a  wound  that 
the  army  surgeons  pronounced  mortal  at  the 'time. 
And  yet,  since  then  he  has  traveled  more  miles,  and 
delivered  more  lectures  to  more  people,  than  any 
one  now  living  in  America;  but  he  says  he  never 
was  weary  from  a  day's  work,  though  he  has  often 
been  very  sleepy  and  hungry. 

Although  he  richly  deserves  a  pension,  he  has 
never  applied  for  it.  Why  not?  Because,  he 
says,  the  government  has  already  too  many  pen- 
sioners, and  he  prefers  to  take  care  of  himself  as 
long  as  he  can.  Here  is  a  man  who  might  have 


xii  Introduction. 

been  a  millionaire  since  coming  to  America,  but 
he  has  deliberately  chosen  to  be  as  poor  in  this 
world's  goods  as  the  great  Master  he  loves  to 
follow.  He  was  frequently  offered  promotion  in 
the  United  States  army,  for  brave  and  meritorious 
conduct,  but  he  declined..  He  was  offered  choice 
of  any  position  with  commission  in  the  Mexican 
army,  but  he  preferred  to  be  simply  chief  of  staff 
of  the  commanding  general,  Escobedo.  And  after 
he  had  helped  lead  the  army  of  that  republic  to 
victory,  the  Mexican  government,  to  show  its 
gratitude  for  his  splendid  service,  tendered  him  a 
tract  of  several  thousand  acres  of  land;  but  he 
would  accept  no  compensation  whatever,  and 
returned  to  his  adopted  country,  to  spend  his  life 
in  pleading  for  purer  morals  and  juster  laws. 

What  an  inspiring  example  of  unselfish  devo- 
tion to  the  highest  interests  of  country  and  mankind! 
What  a  harvest  of  good  seed  sown!  And  what  a 
blessed  reward,  even  in  this  life !  So  that  he  may 
well  say,  as  he  does,  that  he  would  be  happy  to 
live  his  years  over  again  just  as  he  has  lived  them. 

While  this  Polish-American  soldier  lay  bleed- 
ing on  the  field  of  Gettysburg,  the  surgeon  said  he 
must  die,  and  kindly  advised  him  to  make  his  peace 
with  God.  "I've  had  no  fuss  with  God,"  was  the 
ready  reply,  in  the  best  English  the  young  count 
knew. 


Introduction.  _  xiii 

Always  at  peace  with  his  Creator,  ready  to 
serve  and  suffer  for  the  lowliest,  tender  to  little 
children,  kind  to  dumb  animals,  and  courteous  to 
every  human  being— 

"  He  wears  the  look  of  a  man  unbought, 

Yet  touched  and  softened  nevertheless 
With  the  grace  of  Christian  gentleness  ; 
The  face  that  a  child  would  climb  to  kiss ; 
True  and  tender  and  brave  and  just, 
That  man  might  honor  and  woman  trust." 

J.  L.   D. 
SHELBYVILLE,  ILLINOIS,  February  10,  1900. 


CONTENTS. 

PAGE. 

CHAPTER  I 1 

My  birth — Descendant  of  King  John  Sobieski — My  ancestors 
— Father  joins  the  Revolution — Captured  and  imprisoned 
— His  death — My  mother's  summons  to  Warsaw — Her 
interview  with  the  viceroy — Her  refusal  of  the  proposition 
of  the  viceroy — Our  banishment. 

CHAPTER  II 7 

Banished — Journey  to  the  frontier — Refusal  of  the  Austrian 
authorities  to  let  us  land — Go  to  Posen — Ordered  out  by 
the  Prussian  authorities — Go  to  Brussels,  Berne,  Milan 
— Expulsion  from  Milan — The  case  of  Captain  Ingraham — 
Arrival  in  England — Louis  Kossuth  and  Hungary — 
My  uncle  Joseph  Bern — My  pledge  to  my  mother  on  her 
death-bed — My  parents — My  mother's  death. 

CHAPTER  III 17 

My  voyage  to  America — Arrival  in  America —Enter  the 
United  States  army — Barracks  at  Carlisle,  Pennsylvania — 
Jefferson  barracks,  St.  Louis — Sent  to  Fort  Leavenworth 
to  join  the  Utah  expedition  under  General  Albert  Sidney 
Johnston — Our  journey  across  the  plains — Fort  Bridger — 
The  Mormons — Ordered  to  New  Mexico — War  with  the 
Apaches — Return  to  Fort  Fillmore,  1860. 

CHAPTER  IV 38 

Second  enlistment — Ordered  to  Fort  Leavenworth  —  News 
of  Lincoln's  ejection — Ordered  East  with  Lieutenant 
Armistead  on  recruiting  service — Brooklyn,  New  York — 
Dr.  Van  Dyke's  great  sermon  in  defense  of  slavery — Hear 
Henry  Ward  Beecher  reply — Hear  Wendell  Phillips  on 
John  Brown's  death — Ordered  to  Washington — Closing 
scenes  in  American  Congress  before  Lincoln's  inauguration 
— Inauguration  of  Mr.  Lincoln — Beginning  of  the  Civil  War. 

CHAPTER  V 52 

Washington  after  the  surrender  of  Fort  Sumter — Mani- 
festation everywhere  of  Southern  sympathy — Entrance 
of  Northern  troops — Change  of  public  sentiment — Gathering 
of  the  Union  army — Organizing  the  army — Marching  into 
Virginia — Battle  of  Bull  Run — Our  defeat — Retreat  to 
Washington — Demoralization  of  the  army  and  people. 


xvi  Contents. 

CHAPTER  VI. 59 

Arrival  of  General  McClellan  at  Washington — Bringing 
order  out  of  chaos — Preparation  for  the  defense  of  the  city 
— Complete  defensive  works  erected  about  the  city — 
Lincoln  calls  for  five  hundred  thousand  men — General 
McClellan  made  the  commander-in-chief  of  the  army — 
Organization  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac — Peninsular  Cam- 
paign— Our  arrival  at  Fortress  Monroe — Battle  between  the 
Monitor  and  the  Merrimac. 

CHAPTER  VII 68 

Capture  of  Norfolk — Destruction  of  the  Merrimac — Siege  of 
Yorktown — Battle  of  Williamsburg — Our  sojourn  in  the 
Chickahominy.  swamps — Battle  of  Fair  Oaks — Seven  days' 
battle  in  front  of  Richmond — Our  retreat  to  Harrison's 
Landing. 

CHAPTER  VIII 74 

The  army  at  Harrison's  Landing — Our  corps  ordered  to 
reenforce  Pope — Defeat — McClellan  again  in  command 
— March  into  Maryland — Battle  of  South  Mountain — Battle 
of  Antietam — McClellan  removed — Burnside  in  command 
— Battle  of  Fredericksburg. 

CHAPTER  IX 91 

March  again — Stuck  in  the  mud — General  Burnside  super- 
seded by  General  Hooker — Reorganization  of  the  army — 
Advance  again  on  the  foe — Battle  of  Chancellorsville — 
Charge  of  the  Eighth  Pennsylvania — Our  defeat — Discour- 
agement. 

CHAPTER  X 96 

The  death  of  Stonewall  Jackson,  and  its  effect  on  the  Con- 
federate army — Lee's  march  into  the  North — We  follow 
him — Arrival  on  the  field  of  Gettysburg — The  battle — 
Thrilling  description  of  Pickett's  charge — Wounded — A 
faithful  comrade — Taken  to  the  hospital  for  the  mortally 
wounded,  near  Hagerstown — Taken  to  the  hospital  at 
Washington — Rapid  recovery — Rejoin  my  company — 
Ordered  before  Casey's  examining  board — Commissioned 
colonel  of  a  colored  regiment — My  declination — Rejoin  my 
company — Crossing  the  Rapidan — Retreat — Winter  quarters. 

CHAPTER  XI 1 10 

Reorganization  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac — Preparation 
for  the  campaign  of  1864 — Grant  visits  us — Opening  of  the 
campaign — Battle  of  the  Wilderness — Terrible  slaughter 
— Changing  of  our  base  to  Petersburg — Siege  of  Petersburg 
begun. 


Contents.  xvii 

CHAPTER  XII 115 

Interest  in  the  struggle  for  liberty  in  Mexico — Interview 
with  the  Mexican  minister,  Romero — Commission  to  raise 
men  to  go  to  Mexico — Take  a  vacation  for  a  couple  of 
months — Go  to  New  Orleans — Informed  by  the  United  States 
authorities  that  we  will  be  arrested  if  we  proceed  to  Mexico 
— Arrested — Discharged  on  parole  of  honor — Determined  to 
goat  every  hazard — Finally  enter  Mexico  by  way  of  Sonora. 

CHAPTER  XIII   124 

Arrival  in  camp  of  patriots — Their  little  army — Different 
nationalities — The  character  of  the  Mexican  greaser — I 
trust  them  and  find  them  reliable — What  we  had  to  eat — 
The  way  the  contest  was  carried  on — A  thrilling  adventure. 

CHAPTER  XIV 130 

The  meeting  with  General  Escobedo — Become  a  member 
of  his  staff — The  French  rapidly  leaving  the  country — News 
arrives  that  the  last  detachment  of  French  has  left,  and  that 
Maximilian  has  left  the  city  of  Mexico  and  gone  out  to 
Queretaro,  where  he  proposes  to  make  his  last  stand  —  His 
capture,  trial,  death — My  impressions  of  the  Mexican  leaders 
and  their  corps. 

CHAPTER  XV 133 

The  summoning  of  a  military  commission  to  try  Maximilian 
— Universal  demand  for  his  death — Found  guilty  and 
sentenced  to  death,  which  was  to  take  place  within  five 
days  of  his  sentence — The  trial  of  Generals  Miramon  and 
Mejia — Efforts  made  by  the  different  European  nations  and 
the  United  States  government  to  save  Maximilian — The 
refusal — His  death — Reflections. 

CHAPTER  XVI 141 

My  impressions    of   President   Juarez,  Escobedo,  and  Diaz. 

CHAPTER    XVII , 150 

My  return  to  the  United  States — Visit  different  points  in  the 
United  States — Finally  settle  down  in  Minnesota — Become 
a  reformer  in  politics — Elected  to  the  legislature — Introduce 
three  reform  measures. 

CHAPTER  XVIII 167 

Elected  to  the  Right  Worthy  Grand  Lodge  of  Good 
Templars — The  persons  whom  I  met  there — Go  to  England 
— Lecture  in  England,  Scotland,  Ireland,  and  Wales — Return 
to  the  United  States  and  begin  my  career  as  a  lecturer  for 
the  Good  Templars. 


xviii  Contents. 

CHAPTER  XIX   179 

The  Grand  Secretary — Other  leaders  of  the  Order — My 
first  year's  work  as  a  lecturer — Result  of  my  work. 

CHAPTER  XX 203 

Kentucky — George  W.  Bain — T.  B.  Demaree— Progress  of 
the  work  during  1878  and  1879 — My  marriage — Work  in 
Wisconsin — Right  Worthy  Grand  Lodge  of  Good  Templars 
1879,  etc. 

CHAPTER  XXI 215 

Campaign  in  Wisconsin — Colonel  B.  F.  Parker — Prohibition 
campaign  in  Iowa  and  Illinois. 

CHAPTER  XXII 220 

Campaign  of  1883  in  Wisconsin — Presidential  campaign  of 
1884 — Prohibition  camp-meetings  in  New  York — Governor 
St.  John — Result  of  the  election,  etc. 

CHAPTER  XXIII 231 

My  work  in  Dakota — Mr.  Folsom — Right  Worthy  Grand 
Lodge  at  Toronto — My  trip  to  Nova  Scotia,  Cape  Breton, 
and  Newfoundland — In  the  camps  of  New  York — Candidate 
for  Congress — Lecturing  again  in  South  Dakota — Death  of 
Mr.  Finch — Convention  at  Indianapolis — Nomination  of 
Fisk  and  Brooks. 

CHAPTER  XXIV     240 

Clinton  B.  Fisk — John  A.  Brooks — My  trip  to  California — 
The  assembly  at  Long  Beach — Enter  the  campaign  in  Cali- 
fornia for  Fisk  and  Brooks — Los  Angeles — Sacramento — 
San  Francisco — Return  East — Campaigning  in  Missouri  and 
Pennsylvania,  etc. 

CHAPTER  XXV  . .     257 

Taking  a  rest — Speaking  in  Michigan,  Illinois,  and  the 
Dakotas — Back  to  Pennsylvania  again. 

CHAPTER  XXVI 261 

My  mother-in-law's  funeral — Return  Home — A  few  days' 
rest — Return  to  Illinois — Nominated  for  governor — Letter 
of  acceptance — Canvass  for  governor — A  few  days'  rest  after 
the  election — Lecturing  in  Illinois  and  Ohio — Attend  the 
World's  Fair — Enter  into  partnership  with  Dr.  Tracy. 

CHAPTER  XXVII , 273 

My  work  in  Illinois,  Iowa,  Missouri,  New  York,  Canada, 
Rhode  Island — Lithia  Springs — Rev.  Jasper  L.  Douthit — 
His  history — My  work  in  Illinois,  Missouri,  etc. 


Contents.  xix 

CHAPTER  XXVIII 282 

Pittsburg  convention — A  division  in  the  party — Lithia 
Springs — My  work  during  the  campaign — Result  of  the 
election — A  few  weeks'  rest — Speaking  again  in  Illinois  and 
Missouri — The  Toronto  session  of  the  Supreme  Lodge. 

CHAPTER  XXIX 296 

The  debate  and    decision  on    the  Scandinavian  question — 
Lithia  Springs — Grand  Lodge  of  Good  Templars  of  Illinois, 
etc. — Conclusion — The  wolf  in  sheep's  clothing  unmasked —    . 
A  great  crime. 

THE  RISE  AND  FALL  OF  THE  POLISH  REPUBLIC  3l8 

A  BRIEF  HISTORY  OF  POLAND 348 

LIFE  OF  KING  JOHN  SOBIESKI 370 

KING  JOHN  SOBIESKI,  1683 381 

COLONEL  JOHN  SOBIESKI,   1892.  .  383 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 

PAGE 

King  John  Sobieski Frontispiece 

Colonel  John  Sobieski 1 

Colonel  Sobieski's  Family 64 

Uriah  Copp,  Jr 188 

Miss  Mary  Sobieski 212 

Lou  J .  Beauchamp 236 

Jasper  L.  Douthit 276 

Lithia  Springs  Chautuaqua  Grounds 288 


CHAPTER  I. 

My  birth — Descendant  of  King  John  Sobieski — My  ancestors — 
Father  joins  the  Revolution — Captured  and  imprisoned — His  death  —My 
mother's  summons  to  Warsaw — Her  interview  with  the  viceroy — Her 
refusal  of  the  proposition  of  the  viceroy — Our  banishment. 

I  was  born  in  Warsaw,  Poland,  September 
10th,  1842.  My  father  was  Count  John  Sobieski, 
the  son  of  James  Sobieski  who  lost  his  life  in  the 
Revolution  in  Poland  of  1830  and  1831,  and  a 
lineal  descendant  of  King-  John  Sobieski  who 
is  known  in  history  as  John  III.,  being  myself  sixth 
in  the  direct  line  through  the  oldest  sons  of 
oldest  sons  of  that  great  warrior  monarch.  My 
mother's  maiden  name  was  Isabella  Bern,  of  the 
celebrated  Bern  family,  so  noted  for  their  patriot- 
ism. Her  oldest  half-brother  served  under  the 
great  Napoleon,  and  was  in  most  all  of  the  strug- 
gles for  liberty  in  Europe,  from  1815  until  his 
death  in  1853. 

My  father  was  educated  in  the  schools  of 
Poland,  France  and  Germany,  graduating  from  the 
university  at  Heidelberg  in  1840,  when  he  was 
about  twenty  years  of  age.  Immediately  upon  his 
graduation  he  returned  to  his  native  country,  enter- 
ing the  service  with  the  rank  of  colonel  in  the 
Polish  contingent  of  the  Russian  army.  Here  he 
was  serving  at  the  outbreak  of  the  insurrection  in 
1846,  which  insurrection  he  entered  into  at  once 


2  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

with  all  the  enthusiasm  of  one  of  the  Sobieski 
race.  He  participated  in  several  battles  of  that 
contest,  was  wounded,  captured,  and  imprisoned, 
and  was  finally  executed  by  the  Russian  govern- 
ment March  10th,  1848. 

The  estate  of  my  father  was  situated  about  one 
hundred  and  twenty  miles  from  Warsaw,  and  as 
soon  as  the  insurrection  broke  out,  my  mother  with 
her  boy — myself — at  once  repaired  to  the  estate, 
which  was  one  of  the  largest  in  Poland,  compris- 
ing two  hundred  thousand  acres  of  land.  My 
mother  learned  that  my  father  had  been  wounded 
and  captured  by  the  Russian  army,  and  supposed 
that  they  had  put  him  to  death,  as  she  did  not 
hear  of  him  again  for  more  than  a  year. 

But  all  this  time  my  father  was  suffering  the 
horrors  of  a  Russian  prison.  For  some  thirteen 
months  he  was  struggling  for  existence  in  that 
prison,  without  a  bath  or  a  change  of  clothing,  in 
a  cell  infested  with  vermin  of  every  description. 
One  day  he  was  visited  by  a  Russian  officer,  who 
informed  him  that  it  had  been  decreed  by  the 
Russian  government  that  he  must  suffer  death. 
The  officer  told  my  father  that,  if  he  had  any  reason- 
able request  to  make,  it  'would  be  granted.  His 
only  request  was  that  he  might  be  privileged  to  see 
his  wife  and  boy. 

One  day  my  mother  was  surprised  by  receiving 
a  visit  from  a  detachment  of  Cossack  soldiers,  who, 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  3 

in  the  name  of  the  Czar,  ordered  her  to  get  ready 
and  follow  them. 

Not  knowing  whither  we  were  bound,  in  our 
own  carriage,  driven  by  our  own  servant,  we  pro- 
ceeded with  the  soldiers.  I  remember  the  journey 
well.  It  was  in  the  latter  part  of  February  or  the 
first  of  March.  In  that  north  country  winter  had 
not  abated  any  of  its  rigor,  so  I  remember  the 
severe  cold  and  the  gay  trappings  of  the  soldiers. 
We  could  not  have  been  more  than  two  days  mak- 
ing the  trip,  stopping  now  and  then  for  a  few  min- 
utes rest,  and  for  refreshments.  We  arrived  in 
Warsaw  at  night. 

The  next  morning  we  were  ordered  to  appear 
before  the  viceroy  of  Poland,  who  was  a  brother  of 
the  emperor.  He  was  a  man  noted  for  his  savage 
and  unfeeling  nature.  But,  to  my  mother's  aston- 
ishment, he  received  her  with  every  token  of 
respect  and  regard,  and  seemed,  indeed,  almost 
friendly.  He  told  my  mother  that  he  had  an 
unpleasant  duty  to  perform,  and  would  do  it 
just  as  gently  and  as  kindly  as  possible.  He 
informed  my  mother  that  my  father  was  still  living, 
but  that  he  would  be  executed  the  next  morning ; 
and  that  her  father  and  her  two  younger  brothers 
were  in  the  same  prison  with  my  father,  and  would 
be  executed  at  the  same  time  with  him.  He  said 
that  he  now  had  a  proposition  to  make  to  her,  and 
he  hoped  that  she  would  consider  it  carefully ; 


4  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

that  she  would  not  let  any  sense  of  wrong  she 
thought  she  had  suffered  prevent  her  from  making 
a  wise  decision,  as  the  future  welfare  of  herself  and 
child  was  in  her  own  hands,  and  depended  upon 
her  answer.  He  said  that  the  emperor  had  author- 
ized him  to  make  her  this  proposition :  That  if  she 
would  consent  to  have  her  boy  taken  from  her  that 
day,  conveyed  to  an  institution  under  the  direc- 
tion of  the  Greek  Church,  where  he  would  be  care- 
fully guarded,  instructed  and  educated  under  the 
supervision  of  the  teachers  of  the  Greek  Church, 
(the  object  of  the  Russian  government  being  to 
nationalize  me,  that  is,  to  make  me  an  adherent 
of  the  Russian  government ),  assuring  her  that 
everything  should  be  done  for  his  welfare  and  cul- 
ture, and  that  she  should  have  the  privilege  of 
occasionally  visiting  him  ; — if  she  would  consent  to 
this  and  take  the  oath  of  fidelity  to  the  emperor, 
she  might  return  to  the  estate  unrestrained  and 
enjoy  it  until  her  son  arrived  at  his  majority,  when 
he  would  come  into  possession  of  it  himself:  but, 
on  the  other  hand,  if  she  refused  this  proposition, 
then  on  the  morrow  a  decree  would  be  issued  in  the 
name  of  the  emperor,  expelling  her  and  her  son 
forever  from  Poland  upon  the  penalty  of  death, 
should  she  or  her  son  ever  return,  or  enter  any 
territory  controlled  by  the  Czar ;  and  that  our 
estates  and  all  of  our  belongings  would  be  forever 
confiscated  to  the  Czar. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  5 

The  viceroy  very  kindly  offered  my  mother 
proper  time  to  consider  the  proposition,  and 
begged  her  to  take  the  time.  But  my  mother 
without  any  hesitation  told  him  such  a  proposition 
would  not  require  time  for  thought  or  considera- 
tion. Her  mind  was  already  made  up.  She  said  : 
"  Sire,  you  can  tell  the  emperor  for  me,  that  he  can 
take  from  us  our  estate,  he  can  take  from  us  all  we 
possess  in  the  world,  banish  me  and  my  child 
from  our  native  land,  home  and  kindred,  to  dwell 
in  foreign  lands  among  strangers.  I  may  be 
compelled  to  beg  bread  for  myself  and  boy,  but  I 
will  go,  and  I'll  teach  my  boy  that  he  is  a  Pole,  and 
to  love  liberty  and  to  despise  tyranny,  and  to  revere 
and  cherish  the  cause  which  his  father  cherished 
and  died  for,  and  to  hate  with  undying  hatred  that 
nation  and  sovereign  who  murdered  his  father 
and  kin  and  despoiled  his  country,  and  sent  us  into 
exile.  " 

When  my  mother  had  thus  spoken,  we  were 
dismissed  from  the  presence  of  the  viceroy,  and 
were  then  taken  to  see  my  father  in  that  terrible 
prison  dungeon.  Though  fifty-one  years  have 
elapsed  since  then,  and  I  have  passed  through 
many  scenes,  yet  that  terrible  picture  has  never 
been  effaced  from  my  memory.  In  a  small  room 
without  a  single  ray  of  sunlight,  and  with  but  a 
few  straggling  rays  of  daylight,  we  found  my 
father.  The  dirt  and  filth  were  appalling — indescrib- 


6  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

able.  How  he  had  existed  for  more  than  thirteen 
months,  it  was  beyond  our  comprehension  to  con- 
ceive. Nothing  but  his  splendid  constitution  had 
sustained  him.  For  six  hours  we  were  permitted 
to  be  with  him.  Those  six  hours  were  spent  in 
loving  caresses  and  counsel.  Promptly  at  the 
expiration  of  the  time  we  were  summoned  forth. 
The  parting  was  such  as  you  might  have  expected 
of  a  brave  man  and  a  brave  woman  knowing  that 
they  should  never  meet  again  till  they  should  meet 
in  the  land  of  spirits.  My  mother  at  once  made  the 
request  that  she  might  be  permitted  to  visit  her 
father  and  brothers,  as  they  were  confined  in  the 
same  prison.  This  was  refused,  and  we  were  then 
taken  back  to  our  hotel.  The  next  morning  my 
father  and  grandfather  were  executed.  My  father 
was  not  quite  twenty-eight  years  of  age  at  the  time 
of  his  death. 

Before  we  left  Warsaw  my  mother  learned 
that  her  younger  sister,  whose  age  was  twenty, 
and  who  had  been  arrested  and  imprisoned  some 
months  before,  had  been  sentenced  to  Siberia 
for  twenty  years  at  hard  labor.  Later,  we  met  with 
a  bishop  of  the  Greek  Church,  who  was  present  at 
the  departure  of  my  aunt  for  Siberia,  who  described 
her  departure,  chained  to  a  gang  of  convicts,  whose 
company  she  was  to  march  in  for  twenty-eight 
hundred  miles,  all  of  which  must  be  made  on  foot. 
She  was  never  heard  of  afterward.  She  probably 
died  or  was  murdered  by  the  Cossack  soldiers 
en  route. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 


CHAPTER  II. 

Banished — Journey  to  the  frontier— Refusal  of  the  Austrian  authori- 
ties to  let  us  land — Go  to  Posen  —Ordered  out  by  the  Prussian  authorities — 
Go  to  Brussels,  Berne,  Milan — Expulsion  from  Milan — The  case  of  Captain 
Ingraham — Arrival  in  England — Louis  Kossuth  and  Hungary — My  uncle 
Joseph  Bern — My  pledge  to  my  mother  on  her  death-bed — My  parents — 
My  mother's  death. 

Two  or  three  days  after  my  father's  execution, 
my  mother  and  I  were  placed  in  a  sleigh,  and 
under  escort  of  Cossacks  were  started  toward  the 
frontier.  We  were  driven  out  without  any 
preparation  at  all,  for  my  mother  never  dreamed 
when  she  left  our  ancestral  home,  that  she  was 
never  to  return.  She  took  but  a  limited  amount 
of  money,  and  left  all  of  her  diamonds,  valued  at 
more  than  half  a  million  of  dollars.  She  often  said 
that  if  she  had  taken  these  along-  with  her,  they 
would  have  secured  her  support,  or  furnished  her 
all  the  revenue  she  might  have  needed. 

After  days  of  journeying,  we  arrived  on  the 
frontier  of  Galicia,  the  part  of  Poland  absorbed  by 
Austria.  We  were  halted  by  the  Austrian  authori- 
ties, who  in  a  few  hours  informed  us  that  our 
presence  was  not  desirable.  From  thence  we 
went  to  the  province  of  Posen,  known  as  Prussian 
Poland.  After  sojourning  there  for  a  few  weeks, 
we  were  one  morning  peremptorily  ordered  out  of 
the  country. 


8  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

The  reason  for  our  ejection  both  by  the 
Austrian  and  the  Prussian  authorities  was  evident. 
Both  of  those  countries  were  being  rent  at  that 
time  by  revolutionary  movements,  and,  as  we  were 
political  exiles,  we  were  looked  upon  with  suspicion 
and  dread. 

From  thence  we  went  to  the  city  of  Brussels, 
in  Belgium.  After  sojourning  there  some  weeks, 
we  went  to  Berne,  Switzerland,  the  beautiful  capi- 
tal of  that  country.  Here  we  remained  for  more 
than  a  year,  my  mother  teaching  a  school  of  young 
ladies,  in  languages,  music,  and  painting. 

From  there  we  went  in  1850  to  Milan,  Italy. 
My  mother's  health  had  begun  to  fail  her,  and 
she  went  to  Milan,  where  she  had  some  friends, 
and  where  it  was  thought  her  health  would  be 
better. 

On  the  way  we  visited  Rome.  I  still  have  a 
recollection  of  the  Eternal  City.  Much  as  I 
enjoyed  its  walks  and  drives,  my  pleasure  was 
greatly  marred  by  the  poor  beggars,  who  seemed 
to  meet  us  in  swarms  at  every  turn. 

After  living  in  Milan  for  something  over  a  year, 
an  event  occurred  that  hastened  our  departure. 
Captain  Duncan  N.  Ingraham,  of  the  United 
States  navy,  while  cruising  in  the  Mediterranean 
Sea,  had  entered  the  little  Turkish  town  of  Smyrna, 
where  he  learned  that  an  American  citizen  by  the 
name  of  Martin  Koszta  had  a  day  or  two  before 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  9 

been  seized  on  the  streets  and  taken  aboard  an 
Austrian  ship  of  war,  placed  in  irons,  and  held  as  a 
prisoner. 

The  history  of  Martin  Koszta  had  been  this: 
He  was  a  Hungarian,  and  had  taken  part  in  the 
revolution  under  Kossuth.  He  succeeded  in  mak- 
ing his  escape  after  the  failure  of  the  revolution, 
and  came  to  the  United  States,  where  he  had 
taken  out  his  naturalization  papers.  His  health 
failing  him,  he  returned  to  Europe  and  took  a 
journey  up  the  Mediterranean.  The  steamer,  or 
ship,  stopped  at  Smyrna,  where  he  went  ashore. 
Smyrna  being  a  neutral  port,  no  doubt  he  con- 
sidered himself  perfectly  safe  ;  and  so  he  was,  as 
far  as  international  law  was  concerned.  But  in 
some  way  he  was  recognized;  and  the  Austrian 
commander  being  informed  of  his  presence,  he  was 
arrested  and  taken  aboard  the  Austrian  ship,  and 
no  doubt  would  have  been  returned  to  Austria  or 
Hungary  and  executed. 

Captain  Ingraham,  on  learning  of  his  arrest, 
went  alongside  of  the  Austrian  ship  and  asked  if 
Martin  Koszta  was  aboard.  He  was  at  once 
informed  that  he  was  not  and  had  not  been.  Cap- 
tain Ingraham  then  went  ashore,  where  he  was 
informed  that  Koszta  was  aboard  that  ship,  as  the 
ship  had  been  watched  every  moment  from  the 
time  he  had  entered  it.  Ingraham  then  went 
alongside  the  Austrian  vessel  and  asked  the  same 


io  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

question  again ;  and  again  Koszta's  presence 
was  denied. 

He  returned  ashore,  where  he  met  the  admiral, 
or  commodore  (for  there  were  three  Austrian  ships 
of  war  lying  in  the  harbor).  He  said  to  the  admiral: 
"  I  have  been  credibly  informed  that  an  American 
citizen  by  the  name  of  Martin  Koszta  has  been 
arrested  upon  these  streets  and  taken  aboard  your 
flag-ship,  and  is  now  held  as  a  prisoner.  I  have 
been  to  your  ship  twice,  and  twice  the  commander 
of  your  ship  has  lied  in  my  face  and  denied  there 
was  any  such  person  aboard." 

The  admiral  answered  by  saying :  "  Martin 
Koszta  is  a  subject  of  his  Majesty  Francis  Joseph, 
and  is  held  a  prisoner  on  board  my  flag  ship, 
and  you  can  see  him  if  you  so  desire." 

Captain  Ingraham  immediately  went  aboard 
the  Austrian  ship.  When  Martin  Koszta  was 
brought  before  him  in  irons,  Koszta  was  asked  if 
he  was  an  American  citizen.  He  said  he  was. 
He  was  asked  if  he  demanded  the  protection  of 
the  American  government.  He  said  he  did.  He 
was  informed  that  he  should  have  it.  His  release 
was  at  once  demanded,  but  the  Austrians  refused 
to  give  him  up.  Captain  Ingraham  then  gave 
them  twenty-four  hours  time  to  release  and  restore 
the  prisoner,  and  said  if  he  was  not  released  at  the 
end  of  that  time,  he  would  open  his  guns  upon  the 
Austrian  ship.  But  the  Austrians  laughed  him  to 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  n 

scorn,  as  they  had  three  ships,  three  men,  and  three 
guns,  to  the  Americans'  one.  The  ship  that  Cap- 
tain Ingraham  commanded  was  the  sloop  of  war 
St.  Louis. 

When  the  next  day  dawned  there  was  great 
excitement  and  stir  in  the  little  Turkish  town. 
People  gathered  on  the  hilltops  overlooking  the 
bay,  watching  with  deep  interest  everything 
going  on  in  the  harbor. 

Now,  before  the  expiration  of  the  time,  the 
governor  came  to  Captain  Ingraham  and  thanked 
him  for  his  willingness  to  protect  the  neutrality  of 
his  port,  but  said  that,  with  their  superior  arma- 
ment, the  Austrians  would  sink  him  in  a  short  time. 
The  answer  of  Captain  Ingraham  was  :  "  I  know 
my  duty  and  shall  do  it ;  and  unless  the  prisoner  is 
released,  I  will  open  my  guns  upon  them  at  the 
time  specified." 

He  now  steamed  his  ship  into  better  position, 
where  he  could  bear  directly  upon  the  flag-ship  of 
the  Austrians.  Quarters  were  beat,  guns  loaded, 
and  every  man  was  at  his  post ;  Captain  Ingraham 
was  on  the  quarter-deck,  with  watch  in  hand, 
waiting  for  the  expiration  of  the  time,  when,  just 
five  minutes  before  the  expiration  of  the  time,  a 
boat  was  let  down  from  the  Austrian  ship,  the 
prisoner  was  surrendered  to  the  French  consul, 
and  by  the  French  consul  released  and  placed  a 
free  man  upon  the  streets  from  which  he  had  been 


i2  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

taken :  and  the  monarchs  of  Europe  had  learned 
for  the  first  time,  that  the  young  Republic  of  the 
West  was  strong  enough  and  brave  enough  to 
protect  her  people  everywhere,  and  would  do  it  at 
every  hazard,  even  though  such  citizens  might  be 
of  foreign  birth. 

It  was  while  returning  from  the  Mediterranean 
that  Captain  Ingraham  called  at  Milan.  A  demon- 
stration was  made  in  his  honor  by  the  people  of 
that  city,  and  especially  by  the  political  exiles  who 
were  then  residing  there.  This  greatly  offended 
the  government,  and  the  viceroy,  Archduke 
Maximilian,  at  once  ordered  the  expulsion  of  all 
the  political  refugees  residing  in  that  city,  and  for- 
bade them  residing  in  any  part  of  Italy  that  was 
under  the  Austrian  government. 

I  remember  Captain  Ingraham  well.  I  remem- 
ber that  as  he  passed  under  the  window  of 
the  hotel  where  my  mother  and  I  were  standing 
and  waving  our  handkerchiefs  at  him,  he  raised 
his  eyes  and  bowed  and  smiled  upon  us.  That 
moment  he  was  forever  photographed  upon  my 
heart.  That  was  forty-eight  years  ago,  and  yet,  if 
I  were  gifted  with  the  power  of  an  artist,  I  could 
easily  put  him  upon  canvas,  so  vivid  is  my  memory 
of  him.  He  was  a  South  Carolinian,  and  an  ideal 
Southerner  in  every  respect  ;  tall,  dark,  and  hand- 
some,— a  typical,  splendid  specimen  of  the  Ameri- 
can sailor,  of  which  brave  body  Paul  Jones, 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  13 

Stephen  Decatur,  John  Rodgers,  Commodore 
Perry,  Admiral  Farragut,  Dewey,  Sampson,  Schley, 
and  Hobson  are  representatives ;  men  who  have 
made  the  American  navy  glorious  everywhere 
and  for  all  time  to  come. 

The  viceroy  who  decreed  our  banishment,  as  I 
have  already  stated,  was  Archduke  Maximilian, 
the  brother  of  the  emperor  of  Austria.  He  him- 
self afterward  played  the  imperial  act  in  a  farce  in 
Mexico.  I  shall  refer  to  him  again,  later  in 
my  story. 

My  mother  now  proceeded  with  me  to  England, 
that  glorious  old  land  of  liberty.  I  was  now  old 
enough  to  appreciate  what  that  word  liberty 
meant ;  and  oh,  how  I  rejoiced  to  be  among  the 
generous,  warm-hearted,  liberty-loving  people  of 
that  country !  For  all  classes,  from  the  queen  to 
the  peasantry,  showed  interest  in  our  behalf. 

Some  months  after  our  arrival  in  England, 
Louis  Kossuth,  who  had  been  liberated  from  his 
prison  in  Turkey,  together  with  my  uncle,  General 
Joseph  Bern,  visited  England.  I  remember  Kossuth 
well:  he  was  then  in  his  prime.  I  remember 
his  patting  me  on  the  cheek  and  telling  me 
that  some  day  I,  too,  would  fight  for  liberty.  No 
man  in  England  ever  received  greater  ovations 
than  did  he.  From  there  he  proceeded  to 
America,  where  still  greater  honors  awaited  him. 
Congress  gave  him  a  vote  of  welcome  to  the  land. 


14  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

American  statesmen  like  Webster,  Sumner, 
Douglas,  Seward,  and  Hale,  voiced  the  sentiment 
of  Congress  and  of  the  people  in  welcoming  to 
these  shores  the  glorious  champion  of  liberty. 
After  a  few  months  he  returned  to  Europe  and 
sought  to  interest  some  of  the  nations  there  in 
behalf  of  his  country.  Failing  in  this,  almost 
broken-hearted,  he  retired  to  Genoa,  Italy,  where 
he  spent  the  rest  of  his  days. 

After  Austria  received  its  stunning  defeat  at 
the  hands  of  France,  and  again  at  the  hands  of 
Prussia,  by  which  it  lost  its  place  as  the  head  of 
the  German  states,  they  sought  to  conciliate 
Hungary  by  conceding  to  her  all  she  strove  for 
under  Kossuth  :  a  diet  of  her  own,  a  ministry,  and 
a  constitution.  This  seemed  to  conciliate  Hungary  : 
but  it  did  not  Kossuth,  who  said  there  could  be 
n.o  reliance  upon  Austria  ;  that  he  could  not  trust 
the  House  of  Hapsburgs,  for  they  would  betray 
Hungary  whenever  it  would  pay  them  to  do  it. 
Austria  rescinded  its  decree  of  banishment  of 
Kossuth,  restored  his  property  to  him,  and  he  was 
elected  a  member  of  the  Hungarian  Diet;  but  still 
he  would  not  return,  saying  that  he  could  only  live 
in  free  Hungary,  or  not  at  all.  So  he  died  in 
Genoa,  in  March,  1894,  at  the  age  of  ninety-two, 
beloved  and  mourned  by  all  who  love  liberty, 
patriotism  and  consistency. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  15 

My  uncle  Joseph  Bern,  who  served  under 
Kossuth,  had  led  a  life  of  rare  devotion.  He  had 
fought  for  liberty  almost  everywhere  :  wherever  the 
cause  of  liberty  was  in  peril,  he  entered  into  it  with 
all  the  enthusiasm  he  displayed  when  fighting  for 
his  own  country.  He  returned  to  Turkey,  as  he 
saw  unmistakable  signs  of  a  coming  conflict 
between  that  country  and  Russia.  He  became 
naturalized  as  a  Turk,  was  raised  to  the  rank  of 
pasha,  reorganized  her  army  upon  the  modern 
plan,  and,  while  right  amidst  his  work,  suddenly 
died  in  December,  1853.  It  was  supposed  he 
was  poisoned  by  some  one  in  the  pay  of  Russia. 
But  he  lived  long  enough  to  put  Turkey  on  such 
a  good  military  footing  as  to  enable  her  army  to 
beat  the  Russian  army  in  every  battle  that 
occurred  the  year  afterward. 

After  living  about  six  months  in  England,  my 
mother's  health  had  failed  so  rapidly,  that  it  was 
deemed  best  that  we  be  separated.  So  I  was 
placed  in  the  family  of  a  Polish  gentleman  by  the 
name  of  Zolaski.  My  mother  continued  to  decline 
rapidly,  and  in  September,  1854,  she  died.  She 
was  twenty-nine  at  the  time  of  her  death. 

I  do  not  know  much  about  the  personal  appear- 
ance of  my  father,  as  he  died  when  I  was  so 
young.  But  those  whom  I  have  met  who  did 
know  him,  described  him  as  being  tall,  with  amass 
of  black  curly  hair,  large,  flashing,  black  eyes,  and 


1 6  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

very  handsome, — a  thorough  soldier.  My  mother 
I  remember  very  well.  She  was  of  medium 
height,  would  weigh  perhaps  one  hundred  and 
twenty  pounds.  She  had  beautiful,  dark  auburn 
hair;  her  eyes  were  dark  brown,  not  very  large, 
but  tender  and  beautiful.  I  have  had  people  say 
to  me,  *'  What  a  beautiful  woman  your  mother 
is!"  It  may  be  asked  by  those  who  know  me, 
why  I  did  not  inherit  some  of  the  good  looks  of 
either  my  father  or  my  mother.  That  seems  to 
be  one  of  those  things  that  we  can't  account  for. 
My  mother  did  one  thing  for  me  that  I  shall 
always  remember  with  gratitude.  She  made  me 
pledge  to  her  on  the  day  of  her  death,  that  I  would 
never,  as  long  as  I  cherished  her  memory,  drink 
strong  drink,  gamble,  or  take  the  name  of  God  in 
vain;  and  I  have  never  in  the  slightest  degree 
violated  this  pledge.  It  has  proven  to  me  of  more 
estimable  value  than  any  wealth  she  could  possibly 
have  left  me.  When  she  died  she  left  me  in  a 
land  of  strangers,  without  a  penny,  and,  as  it  were, 
without  friends.  But  that  pledge  has  kept  me 
through  those  years  when  I  was  in  the  army,  when 
I  was  young,  tempted  and  tried.  The  love  which  I 
cherished  of  a  noble  memory  made  me  strong 
against  every  temptation ;  and  all  that  I  am,  and 
all  I  expect  to  be,  and  all  the  good  that  I  have 
accomplished  in  fighting  the  liquor  traffic, — all 
belong  to  her. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  17 


CHAPTER  III. 

My  voyage  to  America — Arrival  in  America — Enter  the  United  States 
army — Barracks  at  Carlisle,  Pennsylvania — Jefferson  barracks,  St.  Louis  — 
Sent  to  Fort  Leavenworth  to  join  the  Utah  expedition  under  General 
Albert  Sidney  Johnston — Our  journey  across  the  plains — Fort  Bridger — 
The  Mormons — Ordered  to  New  Mexico — War  with  the  Apaches — 
Return  to  Fort  Fillmore,  1860. 

At  the  time  of  my  mother's  death  I  was 
adopted  into  the  family  of  Professor  Kaloski,  of 
Liverpool.  They  were  very  kind  to  me,  and  I 
shall  always  remember  them  with  sincere  affection, 
and  regret  that  I  repaid  them  so  poorly  for  all  their 
kindness  to  me.  Professor  Kaloski's  wife  was  an 
English  lady  of  rare  accomplishment  and  beauty, 
who,  before  and  after  my  mother's  death,  did  all 
for  me  that  a  mother  could  have  done. 

Professor  Kaloski  came  of  one  of  Poland's 
noblest  families.  In  the  uprising  for  liberty  in 
1830,  he  entered  enthusiastically  into  the  struggle, 
and  when  it  failed,  lost  all,  and  was  compelled  to 
go  into  exile.  He  came  to  America  and  was  for 
some  two  or  three  years  an  instructor  at 
Annapolis,  our  naval  school.  Before  coming  to 
this  country  he  had  lived  in  England  for  a  year  or 
so,  where  he  met  the  beautiful  woman  who  after- 
ward became  his  wife.  It  was  she,  I  suspect, 
who  drew  him  back  to  England,  where  he  married 


1 8  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

and  settled  down.  He  was  a  strong,  stern  man  by 
nature,  yet  kind  of  heart.  He  was  all  to  me  that 
a  father  could  have  been. 

But  while  I  was  content  in  this  lovely  home, 
my  mother  had  told  me  about  America ;  of  it 
being  a  land  of  liberty,  where  oppression  by  the 
government  was  never  known ;  of  Washington, 
Jefferson,  Franklin,  and  all  those  splendid  heroes 
who  made  this  republic  a  land  where  there  was 
complete  equality  before  the  law.  It  became  to 
me  my  ideal  land  ;  and  I  shall  never  forget  my 
delight  and  joy,  when  I  beheld  for  the  first  time 
the  beautiful  flag  of  this  republic  in  the  port 
of  Liverpool. 

In  the  fall  of  1854,  or  rather,  December,  1854, 
the  United  States  ship  of  war,  Constellation, 
Captain  John  Cravens  commanding,  came  into 
Liverpool.  Captain  John  Cravens  had  been  a 
pupil  at  Annapolis  when  Professor  Kaloski  was 
instructor,  and  a  great  friendship  had  sprung  up 
between  them.  He  frequently  visited  the  home  of 
Professor  Kaloski  while  in  Liverpool,  and  in  that 
way  I  became  acquainted  with  him. 

There  was  a  young  midshipman  by  the  name 
of  Abbot,  who  frequently  accompanied  him.  A 
great  acquaintance  and  friendship  sprang  up 
between  us,  though  he  was  some  three  or  four 
years  older  than  I.  He  was  a  whole-souled,  free- 
hearted, careless  young  fellow,  always  doing  a  lot 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  19 

of  reckless  things,  and  yet  loved  by  everybody. 
He  could  say  anything  or  do  anything,  even  on  ship- 
board, with  all  of  its  rigid  discipline,  without 
punishment,  beyond  now  and  then  a  severe  repri- 
mand. To  him  I  imparted  my  great  desire  to  come 
to  America.  He  persuaded  me  to  let  him  smuggle 
me  aboard  the  ship,  which  he  did,  down  in  the 
sick  bay,  where  I  was  dressed  as  a  young  sailor, 
and  a  sick  one  at  that  (  and  the  most  of  the  time 
it  was  literally  true );  and  in  this  way  I  was 
successfully  concealed  until  we  were  entering  the 
harbor  of  New  York,  when  my  presence  was  made 
known  to  the  commander,  Cravens.  His  astonish- 
ment and  anger  were  beyond  bounds  ;  but  he  soon 
got  over  both  of  them  and  became  very  kind  to 
me,  for  he  was  a  noble,  good  man.  He  wanted  to 
know  of  me  what  I  desired  to  do.  I  told  him  I 
wanted  to  be  a  soldier ;  that  all  of  my  ancestors 
had  been,  and  I  wished  to  be. 

He  said,  "  Why,  my  dear  boy,  you  are  not  big 
enough;  what  could  you  do?" 

I  said,  "  Sir,  I  can  blow  the  bugle  as  well  as 
anyone ;  and  you  have  a  boy  aboard  the  ship  who 
blows  the  bugle  for  the  marines,  who  is  not  any 
larger  or  older  than  I." 

"Well,"  he  said,  "we  will  see  what  we 
can  do." 

Some  days  after  he  came  to  me  and  took  me 
to  Governors  Island,  where  I  was  introduced  to 


20  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

the  commander  of  the  post  ;  here  a  bugle  was 
brought  in  and  I  was  asked  to  give  them  some 
music  on  it.  I  did  so,  and  it  was  highly  satisfac- 
tory. Captain  Cravens  then  became  my  guardian, 
and  enlisted  me  in  the  United  States  service 
April  26th,  1855.  This  noble  man  was  lost  at  sea 
during  the  Civil  War,  off  Cape  Hatteras,  serving 
the  flag  which  he  loved  so  well. 

After  remaining  on  Governors  Island  a  few 
weeks,  I  was  sent  to  Carlisle  barracks,  Pennsyl- 
vania, where  I  was  to  be  instructed  further  in 
music,  drilled  and  disciplined,  and  converted  into 
a  soldier.  I  could  speak  or  understand  but  a  few 
words  of  the  English  tongue ;  but  I  rapidly  picked 
it  up,  and  in  a  few  months  could  understand  nearly 
everything  that  was  said  to  me,  and  make  all  my 
wants  and  desires  known. 

A  circumstance  occurred  shortly  after  going  to 
Carlisle,  that  did  much  to  set  me  forever  against 
the  evils  of  strong  drink.  Up  to  this  time,  I  had 
never  known  much  of  anything  about  intoxicating 
liquor.  I  had  seen  people  drink  wine,  but  had 
never  seen  anybody  drunk  that  I  knew  of.  In  the 
barracks  there  at  Carlisle  was  a  sergeant  by  the 
name  of  Warmingham,  as  fine  a  specimen  of  a 
man,  physically,  as  I  ever  saw ;  ^  perfect  soldier. 
I  remember,  as  young  as  I  was,  how  I  used  to 
admire  his  fine  looks  and  wonder  if  I  would  ever 
be  as  fine  looking  a  soldier  as  he.  One  day  the 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  21 

men  were  paid  off,  and  Sergeant  Warmingham 
that  afternoon  went  over  to  town.  I  remember  as 
he  passed  out  the  gate  in  his  clean,  new  uniform, 
with  his  white  gloves,  my  admiring  eyes  followed 
him  far  as  I  could  see  him.  He  did  not  come  back 
that  night — indeed,  it  was  several  days  before  he 
did  come  back ;  and  when  he  did  return — what  a 
looking  man !  He  was  brought  back  by  two 
policemen — drunk,  crazy,  cursing  and  raving.  He 
was  placed  in  a  cell,  where  I  heard  his  ravings  for 
days  afterward.  He  was  finally  court  martialed, 
reduced  to  the  ranks,  and  set  to  work  about  the 
grounds  with  a  ball  and  chain.  When  I  used  to 
look  out  upon  his  blackened,  bruised  face,  looking 
so  wicked  and  desperate,  and  I  was  told  that  the 
cause  of  it  all  was  strong  drink,  it  so  turned  me 
against  that  dreadful  beverage,  that  I  have  never 
ceased  to  hate  it  from  that  day  to  this,  and  shall 
hate  it  as  long  as  I  live. 

After  a  while  I  was  ordered  to  Jefferson  bar- 
racks, near  St.  Louis.  Jefferson  barracks  at  that 
time  was  quite  a  rendezvous. 

It  was  while  I  was  at  Jefferson  barracks  that  I 
saw  General  Lee,  then  Colonel  Lee,  on  the  staff  of 
General  Scott.  He  came  to  the  barracks  on  a  tour 
of  inspection.  We  were  several  days  getting  in 
trim  for  his  visit.  I  remember  him  well.  He  was 
a  very  handsome  man  at  that  time,  probably 
between  forty-five  and  fifty  years  of  age  ;  a  perfect 


22  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

soldier  in  his  manners  and  bearing.  His  refined 
face  and  manners  I  shall  never  forget.  Little  did  I 
think  at  the  time,  that  in  so  few  years  I  should  be 
fighting  an  army  of  which  he  would  be  the  com- 
mander. 

The  commander  of  the  post  at  that  time,  and, 
indeed,  of  that  department,  was  General  Harney, 
at  that  time  one  of  the  best  known  and  popular 
men  in  the  service.  He  had  served  in  the  army 
more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century;  in  Florida,  in 
Mexico,  and  on  the  plains.  He  was  a  typical 
frontier  soldier;  strong,  brave  and  daring;  hated 
and  feared  by  the  Indians  as  no  other  man.  At 
the  opening  of  the  Civil  War  he  was  still  in  com- 
mand of  that  department.  He  adhered  to  the 
Federal  government,  but  because  of  some  act  of 
his  at  the  opening  of  the  war,  and  perhaps  to 
make  way  for  a  younger  man,  he  was  retired. 

I  remember  a  circumstance  while  at  Jefferson 
barracks,  that  gave  me  all  the  experience  with 
tobacco  that  I  ever  had.  Some  boys  who  were 
musicians  went  up  to  St.  Louis.  They  drank  beer 
and  wanted  me  to  ;  upon  my  refusal  to  do  so  they 
made  fun  of  me  and  called  me  a  "girl".  I  stood 
that  as  well  as  I  could,  but  felt  it  deeply.  Then 
they  offered  me  a  cigar.  I  thought  I  would  com- 
promise with  them  on  that,  but  regretted  afterward 
that  I  did.  We  sat  and  talked  and  smoked,  and 
I  grew  dizzy,  then  sick,  and  then  began  to  throw 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  23 

up.  I  not  only  got  sick,  but  I  got  awfully  sick. 
The  first  hour  I  was  really  afraid  I  was  going  to 
die;  and  the  next  hour  I  was  afraid  I  wouldn't  die. 
The  boys  took  me  into  the  rear  of  the  saloon,  and 
laid  me  on  a  cot  where  the  other  topers  usually 
lay  when  too  drunk  to  promenade.  Finally,  the 
boys  started  me  back  to  the  barracks.  When  we 
arrived  at  the  barracks  my  red  cheeks  were  all 
gone:  I  was  so  weak  I  had  to  be  led.  I  was  taken 
to  my  room  and  was  laid  upon  my  bed. 

A  few  minutes  afterward  the  sergeant  of  the 
guard  came  in  and  said  :  "  Where  is  that  drunken 
musician  ?  " 

My  comrade  said,  "  He  is  not  drunk,  but  he  is 
sick  from  smoking  a  cigar.  " 

"I  know  better,  "  said  the  sergeant,  "let  me 
see  him.  " 

He  came  along  to  my  bedside  and  said:  <l  Are 
you  drunk  ?  " 

I  said,  "  No  sir,  I  never  drank  any  liquor  in 
my  life,  but  I  smoked  a  cigar  and  I'm  afraid  I'm 
going  to  die.  " 

He  said,  "Oh,  h — !  you'll  be,  all  right  in  the 
morning.  I'll  excuse  you  from  roll-call  to-night.  " 

I  was  all  right  in  the  morning,  but  I  came  to 
this  conclusion  :  that  two  things  which  many  men 
consider  absolutely  necessary  for  their  happiness 
and  well  being,  whiskey  and  tobacco,  for  some  rea- 


24  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

son  or  other,  were  never  intended  for  me  ;  so  I 
bade  them  adieu  forever. 

I  was  shortly  after  this,  in  the  spring  of  1857, 
ordered  to  Fort  Leavenworth,  which  was  being 
prepared  to  suppress  the  trouble  then  brewing 
in  Utah  with  the  Mormons.  In  the  winter  before, 
Congress  had  passed  stringent  laws  for  the  sup- 
pression of  polygamy.  This  was  done  at  the 
demand — or  practically  at  the  demand — of  the 
whole  nation,  which  was  shocked  at  the  develop- 
ment of  polygamy  in  one  of  our  territories,  and  it 
was  determined,  at  whatever  cost  to  the  nation, 
that  it  should  be  suppressed.  Yet,  as  I  dictate 
these  words  to-day,  we  learn  that  a  treaty  has  been 
made  with  the  so-called  Sultan  of  Sulu,  that  not 
only  permits  polygamy  in  one  of  our  newly 
acquired  Philippine  Islands, — not  only  permitting 
it, — but  the  sacred  honor  of  the  nation  is  pledged 
that  it  shall  never  be  interfered  with.  It  has  been 
the  proud  boast  of  our  country  for  thirty  years  or 
more,  that  we  neither  tolerated  polygamy  nor 
slavery;  and  now  we  do  both.  It  only  shows  what 
territorial  greed  will  do  for  a  nation. 

The  commander  of  the  expedition  was  Colonel 
Albert  Sidney  Johnston.  Colonel  Johnston  was 
one  of  the  best  known  and  most  competent  men 
of  our  army.  Born  in  Kentucky,  I  believe,  he  had 
fought  for  liberty  in  the  Texan  army  against 
Mexico,  had  risen  to  distinction  in  the  army  of  the 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  25 

little  republic,  and  gained  additional  laurels  in  our 
warwith  Mexico.  He  was  a  man  of  akind  heart  and 
noble  bearing;  very  dignified,  without  being  at  all 
austere  ;  winning  in  his  ways,  and  loved  by  all  who 
came  in  contact  with  him.  At  the  outbreak  of  our 
Civil  War,  it  is  said  by  those  who  knew  him  best, 
that  his  sympathy  was  actually  with  the  national 
government.  His  Southern  birth  and  relations 
caused  the  Federal  government  to  treat  him  with 
suspicion  and  coolness.  It  was  more  than  his  sen- 
sitive nature  could  stand;  so  he  resigned  his  com- 
mand, settled  his  accounts  with  our  government, 
and  went  over  to  the  South.  He  was  killed  at  the 
battle  of  Shiloh,  April,  1862,  and  in  his  death  the 
South  lost  one  of  her  ablest  commanders. 

The  second  in  command  was  Colonel  Alexan- 
der, who,  during  the  Civil  War,  was  the  chief  of 
General  Lee's  staff.  Another  prominent  officer 
was  Major  VanDorn,  who  was  afterward  a  distin- 
guished general  in  the  Confederate  army,  and  was 
assassinated  by  a  grieved  husband  in  Mississippi. 
Another  was  Captain  Hancock,  our  quarter- 
master, afterward  so  distinguished  in  the  Union 
army  as  commander  of  the  Second  Army  Corps,  and 
one  of  the  most  celebrated  generals  of  our  army. 
He  was  the  Democratic  candidate  for  president  in 
1880,  and  came  near  beating  Garfield  for  that  high 
position.  Others  were  Fitz  John  Porter,  after- 
ward a  distinguished  commander  of  the  Fifth  Army 


26  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

Corps;  Captain  J.  B.  Magruder,  afterward  a  dis- 
tinguished Confederate  commander ;  and  Major 
Beauregard,  the  great  Southern  general. 

How  often  I  have  seen  these  men  eating 
together  at  the  same  mess!  Yet  only  a  brief 
period  of  four  years  passes  away,  and  we  see  them 
leading  brigades,  divisions,  corps,  and  armies 
against  each  other  in  the  mightiest  conflict  the 
world  has  ever  seen. 

An  incident  occurred  a  few  days  before  our 
march  from  Fort  Leavenworth,  that  was  very  amus- 
ing, especially  as  I  look  back  upon  it  now.  One 
day  I  was  acting  as  orderly  for  Captain  Hancock, 
our  quarter-master,  when  Major  Beauregard  came 
to  Hancock  and  said  he  had  received  some  books 
from  France,  recently,  on  engineering,  and  they 
were  very  valuable  volumes;  and  asked  if  he  could 
have  permission  to  take  them  along  on  the  train. 
Hancock  asked  him  how  many  books  he  had. 

"  Oh,  "  he  said,  "quite  a  box  of  them.  I  sup- 
pose they  would  weigh  a  hundred  pounds,  box  and 
all.  " 

Hancock  replied,  saying  that  he  would  be 
glad  to  accommodate  him,  but  the  order  was 
imperative  not  to  take  anything  along,  except  that 
which  was  absolutely  essential  for  the  welfare  of 
the  expedition. 

So  the  major  went  away  in  disappointment. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  27 

Shortly  after  this,  Major  VanDorn  came  over 
to  the  headquarters  and  said  that  he  had  a  barrel 
of  peach  brandy  that  he  had  received  a  few  days 
before  from  Kentucky ;  he  said  it  was  the  finest 
stuff  he  ever  tasted  in  that  line  ;  he  didn't  want 
to  sell  that  which  had  been  given  to  him,  and 
asked  if  he  could  have  the  privilege  of  taking  it 
along  on  the  train. 

Hancock  said  :  "  Certainly,  certainly,  any- 
thing of  that  kind,  now ;  but  Beauregard 
was  here  a  few  minutes  ago,  and  wanted  me 
to  permit  him  to  take  along  a  whole  library  of 
books,  and  I  refused  him.  Why,  those  books 
would  be  just  as  heavy  when  we  get  to  Salt  Lake 
City  ;  but  I  think  that  barrel  will  be  a  great  deal 
lighter,  don't  you  ?" 

That  admitted  of  no  discussion  at  all :  the  barrel 
was  taken,  and  I  am  very  sure  that  it  began  to 
lighten  from  the  first  hour — certainly  from  the 
first  day  ;  for  a  few  days  after  our  march  began,  I 
saw  the  barrel  cast  aside  on  the  prairie. 

We  left  Fort  Leavenworth  on  the  26th  of  June, 
on  a  beautiful,  bright,  hot  day  of  summer.  As  we 
marched  out  from  the  fort,  and  I  watched  our  lit- 
tle army  starting  on  that  celebrated  expedition,  I 
thought  what  a  magnificent  array  it  was.  What  a 
fine  army !  It  numbered  twenty-nine  hundred 
men  all  told — infantry,  artillery,  cavalry  and  engi- 
neers ;  just  about  the  size  of  a  good  brigade  of  our 


28  Life  of  Colonel*  John  Sobieski. 

army  during  the  Civil  War.  In  our  march  of  the 
first  fifty  miles  westward,  we  passed  little  villages 
and  cabins  ;  but  after  that,  in  a  few  days,  we 
found  ourselves  out  on  the  great  American  desert. 
How  splendid  was  the  scenery!  We  soon  began 
to  encounter  little  herds  of  deer,  and  then 
the  buffaloes. 

Coming  down  through  western  Kansas  a  few 
months  ago,  passing  through  her  fine  towns  and 
cities,  with  their  colleges,  universities,  electric 
lights  and  electric  trains,  and  looking  out  on  their 
splendid  farms,  I  remembered  that  in  my  day  I  had 
seen  those  plains  covered  with  herds  of  deer  and 
elks  and  immense  numbers  of  buffaloes,  and  thought 
how  wonderful  was  the  advance  of  our  American 
civilization. 

The  story  of  that  celebrated  march  has  passed 
into  history  :  its  hardships,  its  sufferings  are  well 
known  to  the  reader  of  American  history,  and  I 
will  not  undertake  to  tell  it.  It  would  make  a 
volume  larger  than  this  which  I  intend  to  write. 

When  we  reached  the  Green  River,  we  were  met 
by  a  deputation  of  Mormons  from  Brigham  Young, 
who  was  still  governor  of  Utah,  saying  that  he 
regarded  our  advance  to  Utah  as  an  act  of  hostil- 
ity, and  that  he  should  resist  it :  but  as  it  was  too 
late  for  us  to  return  that  fall,  we  could  remain 
there,  and  he  would  furnish  us  with  rations  which 
would  be  reasonable  in  price  ;  but  he  would 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  29 

expect  us  early  in  the  next  spring  to  return  from 
whence  we  came.  But  we  continued  to  advance. 

A  few  weeks  after  this,  Brigham  Young,  in 
addressing  his  people,  told  them  not  to  be  fright- 
ened, as  our  army  would  never  reach  Salt  Lake 
City;  for  some  night  while  we  slumbered,  the 
angel  of  death  would  visit  us,  and  we  would  wake 
up  in  the  morning  and  find  ourselves  dead;  or 
words  to  that  effect. 

But  the  angel  of  death  didn't  visit  us  ;  at  least, 
not  all  of  us.  That  winter,  while  we  lay  at  Fort 
Bridger,  a  negotiation  was  held  between  the  Mor- 
mons, represented  by  Judge  Kain  of  Philadelphia, 
and  the  government  authorities,  and  a  peace  of 
some  kind  was  effected  ;  so  that  in  the  following 
spring,  when  we  took  up  our  line  of  march  again, 
we  were  not  opposed  anywhere,  and  the  first  of 
June  we  arrived  in  Salt  Lake  City. 

Salt  Lake  City  of  that  day  was  not  the  Salt 
Lake  City  of  to-day.  It  was  a  city,  then,  of  about 
seven  or  eight  thousand,  I  should  judge  ;  ragged 
and  uneven  in  appearance,  yet  everything  was 
neat  and  tidy.  But  nearly  all  of  the  inhabitants 
had  fled  upon  our  approach  ;  indeed,  I  do  not 
think  there  were  a  hundred  people  left.  The 
Mormon  people  at  that  day,  the  same  as  to-day, 
were  composed  almost  entirely  of  foreigners  ; 
people  from  nearly  all  the  nations  of  Europe, 
except  Poland. 


30  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

They  had  been  told  of  the  bad  character  of  our 
army  ;  hence,  they  fled  upon  our  approach. 

But  a  few  days  after,  the  commander  of  the 
army  issued  a  proclamation  assuring  them  that  we 
had  come  in  the  name  of  law  and  government,  and 
they  would  not  be  molested  as  long  as  they  were 
obedient  to  law,  and  inviting  them  to  return.  In 
a  few  days  they  came  back  to  their  homes  and 
farms,  and  everything  was  going  on  as  usual.  A 
proclamation  was  issued  by  the  new  governor, 
inviting  all  persons  who  were  tired  of  their  polyg- 
amous life,  or  any  other  person,  to  enter  our  lines, 
and  they  would  be  protected,  and  returned  to  their 
homes  if  they  so  desired.  But  nobody  came,  and 
the  Mormons  at  that  time  impressed  us  as  being 
a  very  prosperous,  contented,  and  industrious,  but 
very  fanatical  people. 

I  think  but  once  during  our  stay  did  they  have 
any  reason  to  complain  of  the  conduct  of  any  of 
our  officers  or  men.  Some  months  after  our 
arrival,  we  were  paid  off  for  eight  months  service  ; 
and  that  afternoon,  after  payment,  most  all  of  the 
boys,  except  those  on  duty,  got  permission  to  go 
into  the  city.  We  were  camped  out  where  Fort 
Douglas  is  now,  about  four  miles  from  Salt  Lake. 
While  down  in  the  city  one  of  the  boys  got  pretty 
boozy,  and  meeting  a  Mormon  woman  on  the 
street,  suddenly  became  very  affectionate,  threw 
his  arms  about  her  and  gave  her  a  good  hugging 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  31 

and  kissing.  I  am  sure  he  must  have  been  very 
boozy,  for  no  man,  unless  he  were  in  such  a 
state,  would  have  hugged  and  kissed  such  an  ugly 
woman.  But,  unfortunately,  she  turned  out  to  be 
one  of  the  wives  of  Heber  Kimball,  who  was  second 
in  authority  in  the  Mormon  Church.  He  was  in 
great  anger,  and  demanded  to  see  the  com- 
mander at  once.  Captain  J.  B.  Magruder  was 
officer  of  the  day,  and  pretty  drunk,  as  most  every 
one  else  was,  except  myself  and  the  men  on  guard. 

I  entered  the  tent  of  Captain  Magruder  and 
found  him  sitting  on  a  camp  stool,  with  his  feet 
thrown  on  another,  leaning  up  against  the  wall  of 
the  tent,  and  about  three  sheets  in  the  wind.  I 
said,  "Captain  Magruder,  there  is  a  Mormon 
official  of  some  kind,  who  wishes  to  see  you 
at  once." 

He  said,  "  All  right,  go  out  and  trot  him  in." 

I  did  so,  and  followed  along  behind  to  overhear 
what  was  said. 

As  he  entered  the  tent,  Captain  Magruder 
did  not  rise  to  his  feet  to  receive  him,  for  the  very 
best  of  reasons.  He  simply  raised  his  head  and 
said,  "  Who  are  you?" 

Heber  Kimball  straightened  himselt  up  and 
said,  "I  am  Apostle  Kimball." 

Magruder  said,  "  What  in  the  devil  are  you  an 
apostle  of?" 

He  said,  "The  Latter-day  Saints." 


32  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

Magruder  said,   "Latter-day  devils!" 

In  great  anger,  Kimball  at  once  withdrew  from 
the  tent. 

The  next  morning  Magruder  said  to  me, 
"  What  did  I  say  to  that  Mormon  yesterday  ?" 

I  told  him. 

He  laughed  and  said:  "I  was  pretty  drunk  ; 
however,  I  was  very  correct  in  my  statement." 

But  shortly  after  this,  when  Kimball  came  to 
the  camp  again,  he  found  Magruder  sober.  Cap- 
tain Magruder  at  once  became  very  much  enraged 
at  the  insult  that  had  been  offered  the  woman, 
and  told  the  apostle  to  go  and  bring  his  wife, 
and  if  she  could  identify  the  man  who  assailed 
her,  he  should  be  punished  to  their  complete 
satisfaction. 

At  once  great  excitement  prevailed  in  our 
little  garrison :  the  offender  was  known  to  us  at 
once,  and  every  one  of  us  determined  to  shield 
him.  So  when  Kimball  returned  with  his  wife,  we 
were  ordered  to  fall  in  double  rank.  We  had  told 
the  guilty  man  to  fall  in  the  front  rank,  about  mid- 
way in  the  rank,  as  that  is  always  the  best  place 
for  a  man  to  be  who  is  looked  for. 

Captain  Magruder,  Heber  Kimball  and  wife 
started  down  the  line,  the  woman  apparently 
scanning  carefully  each  face  as  she  passed.  I 
expected  that  the  nervousness  of  the  guilty  man 
would  betray  him,  and  felt  very  much  relieved 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  33 

when  he  was  passed.  They  now  began  marching 
along  the  rear  rank.  Our  lines  were  resting  right 
off  the  officers'  quarters,  when  our  chaplain — an 
Episcopal  clergyman,  a  very  dignified  man — very 
unfortunately  stepped  outside  of  his  tent. 

The  moment  the  woman's  eyes  rested  on  him 
she  became  excited,  and,  pointing  her  finger  at  him, 
said  :  "  There  is  the  man  ;  he  is  the  one  that 
did  it." 

We  were  all  paralyzed  with  astonishment  for  a 
moment — men  and  officers.  Then  we  all  burst 
out  laughing.  But  you  ought  to  have  seen  the 
poor  chaplain.  He  stood  there  like  a  statue. 

After  a  while  the  commanding  officer  tried  to 
control  himself,  and  shouted,  "  Order  in  the 
ranks.  " 

The  men  drew  up  and  tried  to  contain  them- 
selves, and  then  burst  out  again.  Again  and 
again  we  laughed  and  laughed  ;  and  when  order 
was  at  last  restored,  the  chaplain  stepped  forward 
and  proved  by  all  present  that  he  had  not  been  to 
town  for  more  than  a  week.  She  now  wished 
another  trial  to  pick  out  the  offender,  but,  of  course, 
that  was  denied  her.  So  Kimball  and  she  returned 
to  the  city  very  much  outraged,  and  I  suppose 
always  believed  that  they  had  been  very  unfairly 
dealt  with. 

But  the  poor  chaplain  never  recovered  from  it. 
The  officers  continually  chaffed  him  about  it ;  and 


34  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

the  men,  when  he  was  anywhere  about,  pretending 
that  they  did  not  know  of  his  presence,  would  fall 
to  discussing  the  question  of  his  guilt  or  innocence. 
Finally,  the  one  who  was  defending  him  would 
always  give  in  and  say  :  "I  guess  you  are  right. 
I  guess  he  must  have  done  it ;  but  I  wouldn't  have 
thought  it.  "  Some  weeks  afterward  he  received 
a  furlough,  and  we  never  saw  him  again,  and  I 
suppose  he  never  ceased  to  regret  the  mistake  the 
woman  made  in  identifying  him  as  her  assailant. 

A  few  weeks  after  this  we  were  ordered  to  New 
Mexico,  as  the  Apache  Indians  were  threatening 
trouble  again.  On  our  arrival  at  Fort  Union,  we 
were  assured  that  everything  was  quiet  and 
no  trouble  was  apprehended.  But  a  few  morn- 
ings after  our  arrival  we  had  unmistakable  evidence 
of  their  hostility,  by  discovering  that  one  of  our 
sergeants  had  been  horribly  tortured  and  murdered 
within  a  mile  of  camp.  We  were  at  once  assembled 
and  put  upon  our  guard.  As  we  were  but  a  small 
band,  we  could  easily  be  surprised  and  massacred. 

There  was  a  still  smaller  garrison  twenty  miles 
away,  and  the  commander  desired  to  communicate 
with  them  at  once.  But  alas !  our  force  was  too 
small  to  send  a  detachment,  and  so  we  were 
assembled  and  asked  who  would  volunteer  to  carry 
a  communication  to  the  other  fort.  No  one 
seemed  to  be  anxious  to  undertake  it  except  a 
young  musician,  who  was  then  about  sixteen  years 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  35 

old,  and  he  was  permitted  to  go.  Probably 
that  which  he  thought  least  of  during  the  entire 
journey  was  Indians. 

Arriving  at  his  destination,  he  delivered  the 
papers;  and  when  he  started  to  return,  was 
informed  that  a  young  lady  would  be  placed  under 
his  protection,  to  be  conducted  to  Fort  Union.  He 
rather  demurred  to  this.  He  had  never  had  much 
acquaintance  with  the  fair  sex,  and  was  more  afraid 
of  them  than  he  was  of  the  Apache  Indians.  She 
was  a  beautiful  Spanish  girl,  the  only  daughter  of 
our  army  contractor,  who  had  requested  that  she 
should  be  sent  back  to  Fort  Union  the  first  oppor- 
tunity. When  she  came  out  upon  her  horse,  her 
dazzling  beauty  and  electrifying  smiles  quite  cap- 
tivated the  young  bugler,  and  put  him  at  his  ease. 
Neither  one  of  them  could  talk  very  good  English, 
but  they  made  that  up  in  other  respects.  By  the 
time  they  arrived  at  the  fort,  they  had  gotten  on 
excellent  terms  with  each  other.  He  asked  per- 
mission to  visit  her,  which  was  readily  granted. 

She  had  no  mother.  The  house  where  she 
lived  was  about  one  hundred  rods  from  the  fort, 
entirely  surrounded  by  a  shrubbery  peculiar  to 
that  country.  He  went  often  to  see  his  young 
lady  friend,  and  everything  went  lovely  until  the 
old  man  got  home.  He  knew  soldiers  and  had  a 
poor  opinion  of  them;  and  he  had  reasons,  too,  for 
disliking  them.  One  day  the  old  man  ordered  the 


36  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

bugler  off  the  premises  and  threatened  him,  if 
he  ever  caught  him  around  there  again,  that  he 
would  make  it  warm  for  him. 

Then  the  young  man  arose  in  his  wrath,  and 
with  all  the  dignity  of  a  man  of  sixteen,  said:  "As 
you  are  the  father  of  the  young  woman  whom  I 
love,  I  will  spare  you  ;  but  were  it  not  for  her,  you 
would  soon  be  sleeping  with  your  fathers." 

This  did  not  seem  to  disturb  the  old  Spaniard 
any,  and  I  think  he  slept  well  that  night;  but  the 
young  musician  didn't.  The  old  saying  is  that 
"Love  laughs  at  at  the  lock  and  key,"  and  very 
soon  the  young  lady,  with  a  pair  of  scissors,  had 
cut  a  hole  through  the  shrubbery  sufficiently  large 
for  the  young  man  to  creep  through;  and  whenever 
the  coast  was  clear  a  white  handkerchief  would  be 
displayed,  and  then  the  young  man  would  start  out 
to  see  his  girl. 

Everything  went  lovely  for  some  time;  but  one 
day,  right  amidst  a  very  interesting  visit,  the  young 
lady  gave  a  scream  and  started  for  the  house. 
The  young  man  saw  the  old  Spaniard  bearing 
down  upon  him  with  a  big,  bright  knife  glittering 
in  his  hand.  His  first  impulse  was  to  stand  and 
fight;  but  as  he  had  nothing  to  fight  with,  he 
thought  discretion  was  the  better  part  of  valor,  so 
he  started  for  the  hole  in  the  wall,  the  old  man 
hard  after  him.  The  young  man  got  to  the  hole 
first,  and  was  about  half  through  when  the  old 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  37 

gent  got  there.  In  justice  to  the  old  man,  I'll  say 
he  did  not  attempt  to  impede  the  exit  of  the  boy  ; 
indeed,  he  assisted  him  very  materially  in  getting 
through:  but  the  young  man  never  thanked  him 
for  the  help  he  received,  for  it  put  him  in  such  a 
condition,  that  he  was  only  fit  to  serve  on  a  stand- 
ing committee  for  some  days  thereafter. 

Shortly  afterward  we  were  ordered  to  Cali- 
fornia. A  year  later,  when  we  were  ordered  back 
to  Fort  Fillmore,  the  young  man  was  now  a  year 
older,  and  declared  he  was  going  to  assert  his 
rights,  and  we  expected  there  would  be  bloodshed. 
But  when  we  arrived  at  Fort  Fillmore,  we  found 
all  cause  for  this  had  been  removed,  as  both  the 
father  and  daughter  were  dead  :  they  had  been 
killed  by  the  Apache  Indians  a  few  months 
before.  I  am  very  sure  that  the  young  man 
mourned  for  weeks — yes,  for  months  and  years— 
for  the  beautiful  girl  whom  he  really  loved  ;  but 
as  for  the  old  man,  I  am  sure  he  never  wore  crape 
for  him. 


38  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Second  enlistment — Ordered  to  Fort  Leavenworth — News  of 
Lincoln's  election — Ordered  East  with  Lieutenant  Armistead  on  recruit- 
ing service — Brooklyn,  New  York— Dr.  Van  Dyke's  great  sermon  in 
defense  of  slavery — Hear  Henry  Ward  Beecher  reply — Hear  Wendell 
Phillips  on  John  Brown's  death — Ordered  to  Washington — Closing 
scenes  in  American  Congress  before  Lincoln's  inauguration — Inaugu- 
ration of  Mr.  Lincoln — Beginning  of  the  Civil  War. 

On  the  26th  of  April,  1860,  I  entered  upon  my 
secpnd  enlistment  in  the  United  States  army.  I 
was  given  a  furlough  of  thirty  days,  but  got  tired 
of  it  at  the  end  of  two  weeks  and  returned  to  duty. 

My  company  was  then  ordered  to  Fort  Leaven- 
worth,  where  we  arrived  on  the  llth  of  November. 
The  next  day  came  the  news  of  Mr.  Lincoln's  elec- 
tion to  the  presidency.  Mr.  Lincoln  had  been 
elected  more  than  a  week  before,  but  it  had  required 
all  that  time  for  the  news  to  reach  the  Missouri 
River.  At  this  period  there  were  no  railroads  nor 
telegraphs  to  speak  of  west  of  the  Mississippi,  and 
none  at  all  west  of  the  Missouri.  I  shall  never  for- 
get the  sensation  that  Mr.  Lincoln's  election  crea- 
ted. Not  more  than  one  or  two  at  the  fort  sym- 
pathized with  his  political  views.  I  had  never 
before  heard  politics  discussed  in  the  army  ;  but 
now  the  discussion  became  fierce  between  those 
who  were  in  favor  of  sustaining  the  national 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  39 

government  and  those  who  were  defending  South 
Carolina  for  taking  steps  to  secede  from  the  Union. 

Right  amidst  the  discussion,  orders  came  for 
Lieutenant  Armistead  to  go  East  and  recruit 
our  battery  up  to  its  full  complement  of  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty-three  men.  Our  battery  had  been 
converted  into  a  fine  artillery.  Our  first  point  was 
Brooklyn,  New  York.  We  arrived  there  the  1st  of 
December. 

The  next  day  was  Sunday.  I  accompanied 
my  lieutenant  that  Sunday  to  church.  It  was  the 
first  time  I  had  ever  been  in  a  Protestant  church. 
It  was  a  Presbyterian  church;  Dr.  Van  Dyke  was 
the  pastor.  He  preached  a  sort  of  thanksgiving 
sermon  that  day  in  defense  of  slavery.  His  text 
was  taken  from  Jeremiah  1:14,  from  these  words: 
"  Out  of  the  north  an  evil  shall  break  forth  upon 
the  inhabitants  of  the  land.  "  His  church  was  one 
of  the  richest  and  most  fashionable  in  Brooklyn, 
and  Dr.  Van  Dyke  was  a  very  learned  and  eloquent 
speaker.  He  boldly  defended  slavery,  denounced 
abolitionism,  and  declared  that  slavery  was  a  moral, 
social  and  political  blessing,  and  a  divine  insti- 
tution ;  and  he  said  every  word  spoken  against 
slavery  was  a  sin,  and  a  reflection  on  God's  holy 
word  and  his  divine  religion. 

I  shall  never  forget  this,  my  first  Thanksgiving 
time  in  America.  Indeed,  I  can  say  that  the  first 
public  Thanksgiving  I  ever  knew  anything  about 


40  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

was  in  New  York,  in  1860.  Thanksgiving  day, 
then,  was  quite  different  from  what  it  is  now.  Now, 
the  same  day  is  observed  by  common  consent 
throughout  the  entire  Republic,  in  every  State  and 
Territory,  North  and  South.  Then,  Thanksgiving 
day  was  not  observed  in  any  of  the  States  in  the 
South,  and  only  in  those  States  in  the  North  where 
the  people,  to  more  or  less  extent,  were  of  New 
England  or  Puritan  origin.  Therefore,  Thanks- 
giving was  held  all  along  from  the  first  of  Novem- 
ber to  the  middle  of  December.  In  New  York  it 
was  customary  for  the  mayor  of  New  York  city  to 
appoint  a  Thanksgiving  day,  usually  fixing  the 
same  day  that  had  been  selected  by  the  governor. 

On  this  occasion  I  refer  to  in  1860,  Fernando 
Wood,  the  distinguished  Democratic  leader  of 
those  days,  was  the  mayor  of  New  York  city. 
In  his  proclamation  he  rather  impiously  said,  that 
in  obedience  to  the  usual  custom,  he  would  desig- 
nate a  day  for  Thanksgiving  and  praise  for  those 
who  thought  they  had  any  special  reasons  for  feel- 
ing thankful  to  God  for  the  situation  that  confronted 
them.  With  an  abolitionist  elected  President  and 
the  party  of  disunion  triumphant,  and  with  a  civil 
war  impending,  he  thought  it  called  for  a  day  of 
fasting  and  humiliation  instead  of  Thanksgiving. 

The  Sunday  before  that  Thanksgiving,  as  I 
have  said,  Dr.  Van  Dyke  had  preached  his  cele- 
brated sermon  in  defense  of  human  slavery. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  41 

The  Sunday  following  I  heard  Henry  Ward 
Beecher  preach  for  the  first  time.  Mr.  Beecher 
at  that  time  was  in  his  zenith  of  power  and  fame. 
While  his  sermon  was  not  intended  to  be  a  reply  to 
Dr.  Van  Dyke's,  yet  it  was  practically  a  reply  to 
that  divine,  and  also  a  reply  to  Mayor  Wood's 
Thanksgiving  proclamation.  After  enumerating 
many  reasons  we  had  for  thanksgiving  to  God  for 
his  blessings,  Mr.  Beecher,  with  his  fist  clinched, 
reached  the  climax  of  his  great  sermon  by  rushing 
to  the  side  of  his  platform  with  eyes  that  blazed  like 
meteors,  as  he  shouted  in  clarion  tones  that  seemed 
almost  to  shake  the  great  building  : 

"  Another  reason,  and  the  best  of  all,  we  have 
to  thank  God  that  freedom  has  at  last  won  a  vic- 
tory at  the  ballot  box,  and  upon  the  4th  day  of 
next  March  our  government,  for  the  first  time,  will 
be  administered  in  the  interest  of  human  liberty 
instead  of  human  slavery." 

When  the  great  preacher  had  thus  spoken,  the 
vast  audience  was  silent  for  almost  half  a  minute, 
and  then  the  people  broke  out  in  most  rapturous 
applause,  that  shook  the  immense  church  from 
pillar  to  rafter.  It  was  a  scene  I  can  never  forget. 

When  I  went  to  New  York,  I  had  supposed  that 
Abraham  Lincoln  was  an  abolitionist,  and  also  the 
party  which  had  elected  him,  as  I  had  always  heard 
that  party  and  Mr.  Lincoln  spoken  of  as  being 
abolitionists.  But  a  day  or  two  after  my  arrival  in 


42  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

New  York,  I  read  in  the  New  York  Times  an 
editorial  denouncing  abolitionists,  and  yet  I  found 
the  same  paper  was  a  Republican  paper.  It  puz- 
zled me :  I  could  not  understand  it. 

At  my  boarding-house  I  had  become  acquainted 
with  a  very  intelligent  gentleman,  whom  I  knew  to 
be  a  very  strong  Republican.  I  asked  him  to 
explain  the  matter  to  me.  He  was  very  much 
amused  at  my  verdancy  in  political  matters.  He 
assured  me  that  the  Republican  party  was  not  an 
abolition  party  ;  and  while  he  had  always  voted  the 
Republican  ticket,  yet  he  had  no  sympathy  at  all 
with  the  abolitionists.  He  said  he  would  regard 
it  as  the  greatest  calamity  in  the  world — the  abol- 
ishment of  slavery.  He  said  the  Republican  party 
only  proposed  to  keep  slavery  out  of  the  territo- 
ries, and  thus  keep  free  labor  from  being  contami- 
nated and  degraded :  at  the  same  time,  he  admit- 
ted that,  now  that  Kansas  had  been  admitted  into 
the  Union,  there  was  no  territory  where  slavery 
was  likely  to  go  anyhow.  I  was  beginning,  now, 
to  get  an  idea  of  American  politics.  He  said 
there  were  a  few  abolitionists  in  the  country,  like 
Wendell  Phillips,  William  Lloyd  Garrison,  Stephen 
Foster,  and  Parker  Pillsbury ;  but  they  were  per- 
sons of  no  influence  at  all,  and  scarcely  amounted 
to  a  cipher. 

A  few  nights  after  this,  I  went  over  to  New 
York,  accompanied  by  a  friend  of  mine,  to  attend 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  43 

an  anniversary  of  John  Brown's  death.  When  we 
arrived  at  the  hall  where  the  meeting  was  to  be 
held,  we  found  it  surrounded  by  a  mob.  It  was 
not  by  any  means  an  ideal  mob;  the  men  were 
dressed  in  their  broad-cloth,  and  their  looks  indi- 
cated that  they  belonged  to  what  we  call  the 
"upper  class."  The  mob  was  being  kept  out  of 
the  hall  by  the  police.  As  I  and  my  friend  were 
dressed  in  United  States  uniform,  they  permitted 
us  to  pass  in. 

In  a  hall  that  would  hold  perhaps  fifteen  hun- 
dred people,  we  found  about  one  hundred  and 
twenty-five,  who  were  quietly  sitting  there. 
Shortly  after  we  had  taken  our  seats,  the  curtain 
rose,  and  out  walked  Wendell  Phillips  and  several 
other  distinguished  abolitionists.  As  soon  as  he 
came  out  upon  the  platform,  the  rioters,  who  had 
now  gained  access  to  the  hall,  began  their  dis- 
turbances in  the  corridors  and  galleries.  Mr. 
Phillips  was  now  introduced  to  the  audience.  I 
remember  my  disappointment  in  some  respects. 
I  expected  to  see  a  stout,  red-faced,  vehement 
orator ;  but  instead  there  stood  before  me  a  man 
about  forty  or  forty-five  years  of  age — as  hand- 
some a  man,  I  think,  as  I  ever  saw.  He  was  per- 
haps six  feet  high,  with  a  refined,  scholarly  face, 
and  a  Roman  nose. 

He  stood  for  a  moment  with  his  hand  upon  the 
desk,  and  attempted  to  begin  his  speech  by  say- 


44  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

ing,  "  Gentlemen."  But  that  moment  the  crowd 
began  their  noise ;  shrieking,  stamping,  singing 
and  braying.  The  police  contented  themselves 
with  preventing  the  mob  from  entering  the  par- 
quet, where  those  who  wished  to  hear  were  seated. 
For  more  than  an  hour  Mr.  Phillips  battled  with 
the  mob  ;  but  he  reserved  his  force,  while  they 
were  exhausting  theirs.  After  awhile  his  splendid 
voice  rose  above  the  din  of  the  noise,  and  after  a 
time  the  mob  became  silent :  he  had  conquered 
them.  And  then  for  more  than  an  hour  he  was 
the  master.  He  poured  upon  the  friends  of  slavery 
his  scorn,  his  invectives  and  sarcasm.  It  was 
grape  and  canister,  solid  shot  and  shell,  and  Greek 
fire — all  combined.  He  glorified  John  Brown  as  the 
greatest  martyr  of  his  age  ;  no  words  that  he  could 
use  in  his  eulogy  were  rich  enough  :  and  he 
declared  prophetically  that  his  death  had  begun  a 
struggle  that  would  not  end  until  slavery  was 
ended. 

I  met  Mr.  Phillips  years  afterward  in  Bloom- 
ington,  Illinois,  where  he  was  to  give  a  lecture  in 
the  regular  course.  The  lecture  was  on  Saturday 
night.  He  was  to  stay  in  Bloomington  over 
Sunday.  The  lodge  of  Good  Templars  in  that 
city,  of  which  I  was  a  member,  appointed  a  com- 
mittee to  wait  upon  him  to  ask  him  to  speak  upon 
the  temperance  question.  ,Two  of  the  committee 
were  Democrats,  and  very  much  prejudiced 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  45 

against  him.  But  he  received  us  very  graciously, 
readily  consenting  to  speak  gratuitously,  only 
making  this  condition  :  that  no  announcement 
should  be  made  until  Sunday,  as  it  might  be  a 
detriment  to  the  lecture  committee.  As  we  were 
about  to  retire,  he  asked  us  to  remain  longer;  he 
said  he  was  always  glad  to  meet  young  men  who 
were  interested  in  a  reform  of  any  kind.  I  had 
become  the  spokesman  of  the  committee.  I  told 
him  I  had  heard  him  in  New  York  at  the  time  of 
the  John  Brown  meeting. 

He  said,  "I  remember  you  well ;  as  you  were 
dressed  in  United  States  uniform,  you  attracted 
my  attention." 

His  conversation  was  so  charming,  that  when 
we  retired,  he  had  captured  us  all,  and  especially 
the  two  young  Democrats  who  were  so  bitterly 
opposed  to  him.  On  the  following  night  he  deliv- 
ered an  address  on  temperance  to  a  crowded  house, 
and  delighted  all. 

Mr.  Phillips,  unquestionably,  was  the  greatest 
orator  America  ever  produced.  He  dedicated  the 
wonderful  powers  with  which  God  had  endowed 
him  to  righting  wrongs,  defending  the  right  ;  and 
no  just  cause,  however  poor  and  unpopular,  but 
that  he  advocated,  even  at  the  expense  of  his 
financial  interests  and  social  standing.  He  was 
against  slavery  ;  was  for  woman  suffrage,  even 
when  it  was  more  unpopular  than  abolition  ;  he 


46  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

championed  the  cause  of  Ireland  even  more 
eloquently  than  Daniel  O'Connell  himself;  he 
opposed  capital  punishment,  and  demanded  its 
abolishment ;  he  pleaded  for  prison  reforms  ;  he 
pleaded  for  the  abolishment  of  imprisonment  for 
debt;  he  pleaded  for  monetary  reform;  his  patri- 
otism was  broader  than  his  own  country ;  he  might 
well  say,  as  another  great  American  said,  "The 
world  is  my  country,  and  to  do  good  my  religion." 
Although  he,  for  so  many  years,  was  regarded 
as  the  South's  great  foe,  yet  at  the  close  of  the 
rebellion,  while  he  favored  the  reconstruction 
measures  and  insisted  upon  negro  enfranchise- 
ment in  the  South, — in  which  I  think  he  erred, — 
nevertheless,  he  opposed  everything  like  vindic- 
tive punishment  of  the  Southern  people  ;  and  of  all 
the  reformers  of  this  century,  Wendell  Phillips  was 
the  greatest  Roman  of  them  all. 

We  were  now  ordered  to  Washington.  Rumors 
of  trouble  to  occur  in  Washington  on  the  occasion 
of  Mr.  Lincoln's  inauguration  had  induced  Gen- 
eral Scott  to  call  to  Washington  all  the  regular 
troops  that  could  possibly  be  obtained  ;  and,  as  we 
had  secured  our  full  complement  of  men,  we  were 
ordered  to  report  in  Washington  on  the  morning 
of  March  the  1st. 

We  found  the  Capitol  city  full  of  excitement. 
The  members  of  the  outgoing  administration  were 
leaving  the  city,  and  the  Southern  families  were 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  47 

also  going,  so  as  to    avoid   being  present  at  the 
inauguration. 

I  had  never  been  in  Washington  before,  and  as 
it  is  the  capital  of  the  country,  I  was  all  alert  to 
see  and  hear  everything  that  I  could.  I  was  at 
that  time  nineteen  years  old,  just  at  the  age  when 
young  men  or  boys  like  to  see  everything  and 
learn  everything.  The  first  thing  of  all  I  wished 
to  see  was  Congress  ;  and  by  the  kindness  of  the 
commanding  officer  of  my  battery,  I  was  permitted 
to  go  up  to  the  Capitol  building  every  day.  The 
first  place  I  went  to  visit  was  the  Senate  of  the 
United  States. 

The  Vice-President  at  that  time  was  John  C. 
Breckinridge.  His  appearance  attracted  me  at 
once.  He  was  the  ideal  Southerner  in  appearance  ; 
the  very  personification  of  grace  and  ease.  At  that 
time  he  was  not  quite  forty  years  of  age.  He  had 
come  from  one  of  the  most  celebrated  families  in  the 
United  States  ;  his  ancestors  had  all  been  distin- 
guished from  the  earliest  days  of  the  Republic.  His 
father  had  been  a  Senator  and  in  the  cabinet  of 
President  Jefferson.  He  himself  had  served  in 
Mexico  as  a  major,  winning  a  fine  reputation.  He 
had  redeemed  the  Ashland  district — Henry  Clay's 
old  district — from  the  Whigs,  and  made  for  himself 
such  a  reputation  that  he  had  been  nominated  for 
Vice-President  on  the  same  ticket  with  Mr.  Buch- 
anan, when  he  had  barely  arrived  at  the  constitu- 


48  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

tional  age  of  thirty-five;  and  he  gained  fame  rapidly 
while  Vice-President,  and  was  nominated  by  the 
Southern  wing  of  the  Democratic  party  for  the 
presidency,  in  1860.  He  had  stood  second  to  Mr. 
Lincoln  in  the  electoral  college  ;  he  had  already 
been  elected  United  States  Senator  from  Kentucky 
for  six  years,  and  was  sworn  in  as  United  States 
Senator  the  day  Mr.  Lincoln  was  inaugurated.  He 
returned  to  Washington  and  took  part  in  the  extra 
session  of  Congress,  and  made  a  very  bold  and  able 
speech  in  defense  of  the  Confederate  cause;  resigned 
his  seat,  entered  the  Confederate  army  as  a  major- 
general,  and  finally  was  made  Secretary  of  War  by 
President  Davis.  At  the  close  of  the  rebellion  he 
succeeded  in  making  his  escape.  After  a  year  or 
two  abroad,  he  returned  to  the  United  States, 
dying  at  Lexington,  Kentucky,  in  1874.  It  was 
said  that  his  death  was  hastened  by  that  which 
has  hastened  the  death  of  so  many  other  brilliant 
men — strong  drink. 

The  great  debate  in  Congress  during  those  last 
days  of  that  session  was  on  the  adoption  of  what 
was  known  as  the  Crittenden  Peace  Compromise. 
It  was  advocated  by  Crittenden  of  Kentucky, 
Douglas  of  Illinois,  Johnson  of  Tennessee,  Corwin 
of  Pennsylvania,  Dixon  of  Connecticut,  Green  of 
Missouri.  It  was  opposed  by  Trumbull  of  Illinois, 
Hale  of  New  Hampshire,  Chandler  of  Michigan. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  49 

It  was  adopted,  but  nothing  came  of  it,  as  the  war 
soon  broke  out. 

It  was  my  good  fortune  to  hear  Stephen  A. 
Douglas  speak.  Douglas  spoke  on  the  2nd  of 
March  and  Green  on  the  3rd  of  that  month.  I 
was  very  much  interested  in  Mr.  Douglas,  as  he 
had  been  the  candidate  of  the  Northern  wing  of 
his  party  for  the  presidency.  He  was  at  that  time 
forty-seven  years  old— a  very  handsome  man  ; 
rather  short  of  stature,  but  well  proportioned  ;  had 
a  very  large  head,  with  a  mass  of  dark  brown  hair 
inclining  to  be  curly.  His  voice  was  sweet,  full, 
and  clear.  He  had  the  attention  of  the  entire 
Senate,  and  the  galleries  were  filled  as  full  as  they 
could  be  packed.  He  lived  only  a  few  months 
after  this,  dying  the  following  June.  He  devoted 
the  last  months  of  his  life  in  rallying  .his  country- 
men in  defense  of  the  national  flag. 

The  next  day  the  great  Senator  from  Missouri 
(Green)  spoke.  As  soon  as  he  arose  to  speak 
the  members  of  the  House  of  Representatives  came 
flocking  over  to  the  Senate,  completely  filling  the 
chamber.  I  remember  seeing  clustered  around 
his  seat  while  he  was  speaking,  Senator  Douglas, 
Senator  Andrew  Johnson  of  Tennessee,  Senator 
Seward  of  New  York,  Senator  Wilson  of  Massa- 
chusetts, and  Wade  of  Ohio.  He  was  a  man  of 
marvelous  oratorical  powers  and  transcendent  abili- 
ties. I  shall  never  forget  that  great  speech;  it 


50  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

was  thrilling-  in  the  extreme.  That  closed  the 
great  debate  upon  that  question.  You  might  say 
it  closed  an  epoch  in  our  country's  history. 

The  next  day  Mr.  Lincoln  was  inaugurated. 
The  day  dawned  bright,  clear,  and  crisp.  At  noon 
the  carriage  containing  President  Buchanan  and 
Lincoln  drove  down  to  the  Capitol  building.  I  saw 
then,  for  the  first  time,  the  President"  of  the  United 
States  and  the  President-elect.  One  could  not 
imagine  greater  contrast  than  those  two  men  pre- 
sented. Mr.  Buchanan  at  that  time  was  some- 
thing over  seventy  years  of  age,  tall  and  handsome 
in  appearance.  His  career  had  been  a  successful 
one  :  he  had  been  a  member  of  both  branches  of 
the  State  legislature;  he  had  been  a  member  of 
the  lower  house  of  Congress  for  several  terms  ; 
three  times  he  had  been  elected  United  States 
Senator  from  Pennsylvania;  minister  to  Russia 
under  President  Jackson  ;  Secretary  of  State  under 
President  Polk  ;  minister  to  England  under  Presi- 
dent Pierce;  four  years  President  of  the  United 
States; — it  seems  that  all  of  his  ambitions  had 
been  satisfied.  He  was  closing  his  administration 
in  the  tumult  of  secession  and  revolution.  He  has 
been  very  much  censured,  yet  I  am  satisfied,  when 
everything  is  considered, — his  age,  his  environ- 
ments,— that  future  historians  will  say  he  did 
the  best  that  he  could. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  51 

Mr.  Lincoln,  as  I  saw  him  that  March  morning 
for  the  first  time,  seemed  tall,  awkward,  and 
shambling-  in  his  appearance,  his  face  plain  to 
ugliness;  yet,  while  he  was  speaking,  delivering 
his  inaugural,  there  seemed  to  be  some  sort  of  a 
transformation.  He  appeared  so  sincere,  so  true, 
so  honest  and  sensible,  that  from  that  moment  I 
had  a  faith  in  him  which  never  wavered. 

My  battery  was  lying  out  near  Brightwood.  I 
used  to  go  into  the  city  almost  every  day.  Hardly 
anybody  thought  there  would  be  war.  Though 
another  government  had  been  organized  and 
foreign  ministers  appointed,  still  people  thought 
it  would  blow  over  without  bloodshed.  It  all 
seems  so  strange  to  us  now — almost  incredible. 
But  one  morning  news  was  brought  to  the  camp 
that  startled  us  all — Fort  Sumter,  in  Charleston 
Harbor,  had  been  fired  upon.  The  next  day 
came  news  of  its  surrender;  and  at  last  it  burst 
upon  our  minds  that  war — grim  war — was  upon  us, 
and,  worst  of  all,  civil  war ! 


52  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 


CHAPTER  V. 

Washington  after  the  surrender  of  Fort  Sumter — Manifestation 
everywhere  of  Southern  sympathy — Entrance  of  Northern  troops — 
Change  of  public  sentiment — Gathering  of  the  Union  army — Organiz- 
ing the  ,  army — Marching  into  Virginia — Battle  of  Bull  Run — Our 
defeat — Retreat  to  Washington — Demoralization  of  the  army  and  people. 

That  night,  after  the  news  of  the  surrender  of 
Fort  Sumter,  there  was  a  consultation  in  the  quar- 
ters of  Captain  Magruder,  and  the  next  morning 
three  of  our  officers  went  into  the  city  and  placed 
their  resignations  in  the  hands  of  the  Secretary  of 
War,  and  we  saw  them  no  more.  Public  senti- 
ment in  Washington  seemed  to  be  all  one  way.  I 
heard  everywhere  expressions  of  sympathy  for  the 
Southern  Confederacy,  and  even  cheers  for 
Jefferson  Davis  and  the  Southern  cause. 

My  captain  came  to  me  the  morning  he 
went  into  the  city,  and  urged  me  to  go  with  him 
and  join  the  Southern  cause.  He  complimented 
me  by  telling  me  that  I  was  a  thorough  soldier 
and  could  command  his  batteries  as  well  as  he  or 
anybody,  and  that  he  would  guarantee  me  a  com- 
mission at  once  ;  but  I  reminded  him  that  I  could 
not  resign  ;  that  I  was  an  enlisted  man  and  was 
bound  to  the  general  government  for  four  years 
more. 

He  said,   "Oh,    the    government   be    d !" 

that  it  had  all  "  gone  to  h—  —/'and  the  Southern 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  53 

army  would  be  in  Washington  before  two  weeks. 
I  told  him  I  did  not  know  anything  about 
the  merits  of  the  question  which  brought  about 
secession  and  war  ;  but  the  way. I  looked  upon  the 
matter,  my  duty  was  plain  :  that  I  had  come  to 
this  country  an  exile,  without  home  or  country  ; 
the  United  States  had  given  me  both,  and  I  should 
be  forever  true  to  the  government  of  my  adoption : 
wherever  the  flag  went,  I  should  go  ;  and  if  it  went 
down  in  defeat  and  disaster,  I  would  go  with 
it.  He  then  sadly  bade  me  good-bye,  and  said 
he  appreciated  my  scruples  and  feeling  of  grati- 
tude, mistaken  as  he  believed  I  was. 

Captain  Magruder  was  a  good  man,  warm- 
hearted and  generous,  thoroughly  devoted  to  his 
native  State,  Virginia.  For  six  years  he  had  been 
almost  a  father  to*  me,  and  it  made  me  sad  to  leave 
him.  The  last  time  I  met  him  was  in  1870 — 
a  broken  man  in  every  way.  When  I  told  him 
I  had  come  two  hundred  miles  out-  of  my  way 
to  see  him,  he  thanked  me  warmly  for  the  esteem 
which  I  still  held  for  him.  We  talked  over  old 
times  together.  He  mentioned  the  incident  I 
have  just  given:  I  was  in  hopes  he  had  forgotten 
it.  He  told  me  that  I  had  acted  the  wiser  part, 
though  he  said  he  had  acted  conscientiously  in  the 
matter  at  the  time.  I  did  not  doubt  that.  He 
lived  only  a  few  months  after  this  interview. 


54     -  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

On  the  fifth  day  after  the  surrender  of  Fort 
Sumter,  if  my  memory  serves  me  correctly,  volun- 
teer troops  began  to  arrive  at  Washington ;  and 
how  quick  public  sentiment  began  to  change.  It 
was  as  sudden  as  a  burst  of  sunshine  after  a 
thunder-storm.  I  shall  never  forget  the  day  that 
the  first  Northern  regiment  arrived.  I  think  it 
was  the  Sixth  New  York.  Way  down  Pennsyl- 
vania Avenue  we  heard  a  band  playing.  We  soon 
caught  the  notes:  it  was  the  "Star  Spangled 
Banner."  And  then  we  began  to  hear  the  cheer- 
ing of  the  people.  It  was  a  crack  New  York  regi- 
ment, composed  of  the  sons  of  leading  citizens, 
finely  dressed,  finely  equipped,  and  finely  drilled. 
What  a  splendid  appearance  they  made ! 

Within  the  next  few  weeks  at  least  fifty  thous- 
and men  came  into  the  District  of  Columbia ;  and 
all,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  regiments  of  State 
militia,  were  raw  men  who  had  come  from  the 
workshops,  the  farms,  the  school-room,  the  store, 
— indeed,  from  everywhere  ;  men  of  every  calling 
and  occupation,  except  the  brewer,  the  distiller, 
the  saloon-keeper — I  did  not  hear  of  their  coming  ; 
but  everybody  else  came.  Splendid  material  to 
make  soldiers  of;  but  they  had  to  be  made  soldiers 
*'  from  the  ground  up,"  as  the  saying  is.  Not  one 
in  ten  thousand  had  ever  seen  a  soldier  ;  hardly 
knew  a  ramrod  from  a  knitting-needle.  They 
used  to  afford  us  of  the  regulars  a  good  deal  of 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  55 

amusement  in  witnessing  their  drill,  for  the 
officers  seemed  to  be  more  awkward  than  the  men 
themselves.  Among  the  first  things  that  a  soldier 
learns  is  his  facing,  and  marking  time;  so  you'll 
hear  the  drill  sergeant  say,  "  Right,  left ;  right, 
left."  So  we  used  to  say  they  didn't  know  their 
right  foot  from  their  left,  and  they'd  have  to  bind 
hay  on  one  foot  and  straw  on  the  other,  and  say, 
"  Hay-foot,  straw-foot  ;  hay-foot,  straw-foot."  But 
they  had  something  better  than  drill,  better  than 
discipline  ;  that  was  their  patriotism,  their  enthusi- 
asm for  their  cause.  They  were  the  nucleus  of 
the  grandest  army  that  was  ever  organized  or  led, 
the  Volunteer  Army  of  the  Union. 

I  remember  witnessing  an  amusing  incident 
just  before  we  marched  into  Virginia.  Near  where 
,we  were  encamped  was  a  regiment  of  volunteers. 
I  was  out  one  day  witnessing  a  lieutenant  drill  his 
company.  They  had  gotten  sufficiently  advanced, 
now,  so  that  they  did  pretty  well.  That  morning 
there  had  been  a  thunder-storm,  and  there  had 
been  quite  a  heavy  fall  of  rain.  In  the  middle  of 
the  drill  ground  was  a  slight  depression,  and  the 
captain  had  his  men  going  at  a  double  quick ;  he 
espied  this  water,  and  knew  a  part  of  his  line 
would  pass  through  it.  Military  words  had  not 
become  familiar  to  him  yet,  so,  instead  of  obliquing 
his  men,  or  halting  and  right-abouting  them  ( I 
presume  he  had  been  a  teamster  a  few  weeks 


56  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

before),  he  shouted  to  his  men:  "Haw!  haw! 
haw!"  It  did  just  as  well;  the  men  understood 
it,  but  it  was  hardly  military. 

A  few  days  afterward  we  marched  into  Vir- 
ginia, and  then  out  toward  Manassas  or  Bull  Run. 

I  wonder  if  an  army  ever  went  forth  to  battle 
as  that  army  did.  It  was  composed  of  forty-five 
thousand  men.  We  thought  it  was  a  mighty 
army — and  to  us  it  was.  It  was  three  times  larger 
than  any  American  army  that  had  ever  gone  forth 
to  battle  before.  Most  of  them  were  young  men. 
I  presume  ninety  per  cent  were  under  twenty-five 
years  of  age  ;  full  of  enthusiasm,  life,  song,  and 
mirth.  We  expected  a  little  brush  with  the 
"Johnnie  Rebs,"  as  we  called  them,  but  we  ex- 
pected to  easily  dispose  of  them  and  march 
proudly  on. 

But,  alas  !  how  few  of  us  ever  entered  Rich- 
mond. It  was  more  than  twenty  years  before  I 
did  ;  and  when  I  did  enter  Richmond,  I  went  there 
as, a  soldier  in  another  army.  I  went  there  fight- 
ing a  more  destructive  foe  than  the  one  we 
met  at  Manassas  :  I  went  there  as  a  helper  and  a 
friend,  to  save  the  homes  of  that  beautiful  city  from 
the  devastation  of  the  liquor  traffic. 

As  the  battle  of  Bull  Run  is  now  a  matter  of  his- 
tory, I  shall  not  take  space  in  this  small  volume 
to  describe  it. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  57 

On  our  retreat  the  night  of  the  battle,  we  came 
to  a  place  where  the  road  had  become  choked  up  by 
different  obstructions,  and  they  were  trying  to  clear 
the  way  so  our  artillery  could  pass,  to  prevent  it 
from  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  A  stray 
private  soldier  was  making  his  way  back  to  Wash- 
ington. He  was  the  tallest  man  I  ever  saw.  He 
looked  more  like  a  pair  of  tongs  than  anything  else 
I  could  think  of;  he  actually  looked  as  though  his 
legs  began  right  under  his  chin.  And  he  was  the 
most  disgusted  looking  man  I  ever  met.  Throw- 
ing himself  down  on  the  earth  where  several  of  us 
were  lying,  in  the  idiom  peculiar  to  a  New  Eng- 
lander,  he  said:  "Gol  darn  it,  I  won't  run  another 
step  to-day." 

Some  one  said  to  him,  "You  had  better  run, 
and  run  now,  for  the  black-horse  cavalry  will  be 
along  here  in  a  few  minutes." 

He  said,  "I  don't  care  for  the  black-horse 
cavalry  or  any  other  cavalry  ;  I  would  not  run 
another  step  for  Jeff  Davis  and  the  whole  Southern 
Confederacy." 

A  few  minutes  afterward  a  shout  came  up  from 
the  rear,  warning  us  of  the  approach  of  the 
black-horse  cavalry,  and  I  tell  you  there  was 
clearing  out  of  that  road  pretty  quick.  Our 
Yankee  friend  rose  to  his  feet  with  alacrity, 
gave  one  disgusted  look  toward  the  rear,  and 
started  on  a  run  that  would  have  done  credit  to  a 


58  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

jack-rabbit.     I  do  not  believe  he  stopped  until  he 
arrived  at  his  Green  Mountain  home. 

The  next  day  at  two  o'clock  we  entered  Wash- 
ington, and  passed  through  her  streets  out  to  our  old 
camping  ground  at  Brightwood.  Utter  demorali- 
zation reigned.  No  one  seemed  to  have  a  com- 
mand ;  no  one  seemed  to  care  for  command.  The 
few  regular  troops  alone  kept  together,  and  had 
brought  away  with  them  their  arms  and  accouter- 
ments.  Washington  was  full  of  saloons,  and  they 
alone  seemed  to  be  in  high  glee  and  reaping  a  rich 
harvest.  A  thousand  men  could  have  charged 
across  Long  Bridge  and  have  captured  the  city.  It 
was  the  darkest  day  for  our  cause  during  that 
terrible  conflict. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  59 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Arrival  of  General  McClellan  at  Washington — Bringing  order 
out  of  chaos  —  Preparation  for  the  defense  of  the  city — Complete 
defensive  works  erected  about  the  city — Lincoln  calls  for  rive  hundred 
thousand  men — General  McClellan  made  the  commander-in-chief  of  the 
army — Organization  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac — Peninsular  campaign 
— Our  arrival  at  Fortress  Monroe — Battle  between  the  Monitor  and 
the  Merrimac. 

General  McClellan  was  called  to  Washington 
and  placed  in  command  of  Washington  city.  The 
first  thing-  he  did  was  to  close  the  saloons  of  the 
city ;  the  next  was  to  establish  rendezvous  for  the 
army,  sending  out  patrols  to  pick  up  scattered  men. 
Then  began  the  preparation  to  put  Washington  in 
a  defensive  condition.  Ditches  were  dug,  fortifi- 
cations were  erected,  and  in  a  short  time  Washing- 
ton had  been  made  impregnable  against  any  pos- 
sible attack  that  could  at  that  time  have  been 
made  against  it. 

Now,  for  the  first  time,  Mr.  Lincoln  began  to 
realize  that  there  was  really  war  in  the  land  :  not 
a  little  insurrection  that  would  blow  over  in  ninety 
days,  but  a  mighty  and  terrible  war  that  would 
tax  all  the  resources  of  the  nation.  So  he  issued 
a  call  for  five  hundred  thousand  men,  to  serve  for 
three  years,  or  until  the  close  of  the  war.  Soon 
these  fresh  levies  began  to  come  into  Washington 
by  the  thousands  and  tens  of  thousands.  They 


60  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

were  taken  in  hand  and  disciplined,  and  were  pre- 
pared for  the  great  work  that  was  before  them. 

At  this  juncture  General  Scott  resigned  his 
command 'and  retired.  General  Scott  was  one  of 
the  greatest  men  our  country  ever  produced. 
Born  in  the  State  of  Virginia,  he  began  his  life  as 
a  lawyer.  At  the  outbreak  of  the  war  with  Great 
Britain  in  1812,  he  entered  the  army,  and  remained 
in  continuous  service  until  November,  1861,  a 
period  of  forty-nine  years  ;  the  longest  time  of  any 
great  general  who  has  served  in  our  army  on  the 
active  lists  before  or  since.  He  had  won  a  brilliant 
reputation  in  the  war  with  Great  Britain,  and  was 
ever  known  thereafter  as  the  hero  of  Lundy's  Lane. 
Afterward,  in  service  in  Florida  and  on  the  plains 
he  showed  his  efficiency.  At  the  outbreak  of  the 
war  with  Mexico,  he  was  soon  placed  in  command 
of  our  entire  force  in  that  country,  and  in  his 
march  from  Vera  Cruz  he  showed  a  genius  which 
has  never  been  excelled  by  any  war  captain  in  the 
world.  Marching  his  army  for  almost  a  thousand 
miles  over  blistering  plains,  fighting  a  dozen 
battles  of  more  or  less  magnitude,  outnumbered 
three  to  one  in  every  contest,  the  foe  at  times 
commanded  by  the  President  of  the  Republic  ot 
Mexico,  General  Santa  Anna,  Mexico's  most 
renowned  soldier,  he  won  every  battle,  and  planted 
the  flag  over  the  halls  of  Montezuma.  Though 
his  army  was  composed  mostly  of  volunteers,  he 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  61 

accomplished  in  less  than  a  year  what  it  took  more 
than  two  years  for  the  French  army  of  more  than 
ten  times  his  number — drilled,  disciplined  troops 
and  veterans — to  accomplish. 

He  was  the  Whig  candidate  for  President  in 
1852,  against  Franklin  Pierce.  He  was  the  most 
magnificent  looking  man  I  ever  saw.  Among  the 
ancient  Greeks  and  Romans  he  would  have  been 
worshiped  as  a  God.  He  was  six  feet,  seven 
inches  high,  well  proportioned  in  every  way.  He 
weighed  about  two  hundred  and  seventy-five  pounds. 
I  remember  I  used  to  go  blocks  and  blocks  out  of 
my  way  to  get  a  chance  to  see  him.  A  great 
admirer,  as  I  am,  of  beauty  in  either  man  or  woman, 
and  realizing  General  Scott's  great  reputation  as  a 
soldier,  I  felt  almost  like  worshiping  him.  Indeed, 
I  think  we  could  all  say  of  him,  "  He  was 
Winfield  Scott,  the  magnificent.  "  He  died  in  the 
summer  of  1866,  full  of  honor  and  of  years. 

General  George  B.  McClellan  was  now  placed 
in  command.  He  took  this  raw  material  of  our 
volunteers,  organizing  them  into  armies  both  East 
and  West.  Early  in  the  spring  of  1862  he  was 
relieved  of  the  chief  command,  that  he  might 
assume  the  command  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac 
in  person. 

It  had  been  determined  to  approach  Richmond 
by  the  way  of  the  peninsula,  so  we  left  Washing- 


62  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

ton  the  27th  of  February,  arriving  at  Fortress 
Monroe  on  the  4th  of  March. 

The  next  Sunday  after  our  arrival  in  Fortress 
Monroe,  just  after  dinner,  our  attention  was  called 
to  evident  excitement  at  the  fort.  Looking  up 
the  road,  we  saw  the  occasion  of  it.  Coming  down 
from  Norfolk  we  espied  three  steamers :  two  of 
them  were  easily  discerned  and  understood  ;  the 
third  one  not  easily  made  out.  Her  appearance 
was  so  peculiar;  she  looked  like  a  half-sunk  house. 
The  word  soon  passed  around  that  the  strange 
looking  craft  was  a  Confederate  ram,  the  Virginia. 

When  Norfolk  navy-yard  was  captured  by  the 
Confederates,  there  was  a  partially  finished  ship 
of  war  called  the  Merrimac  ;  this  had  been  scuttled 
and  sunk  by  our  people.  The  Confederates 
raised  her  and  constructed  her  into  an  iron  ship. 
Her  mail  was  made  of  railroad  iron;  then  they  added 
to  her,  to  make  her  more  destructive,  a  tremendous 
battering-ram  made  of  the  finest  steel,  for  the 
purpose  of  crushing  into  the  sides  of  ships  and 
sinking  them.  It  would  seem  that  the  head  ones 
of  our  government  knew  of  her  construction,  but  it 
was  all  new  to  us. 

When  she  came  sailing  down  from  Norfolk, 
escorted  by  those  other  steamers,  I  surveyed  her, 
and  then  looked  over  to  our  naval  ships,  looking 
so  majestic  and  strong, — the  Congress,  carrying 
thirty-eight  guns ;  the  Cumberland,  the  same 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  63 

number  of  guns  ;  the  Minnesota,  with  forty-eight 
guns.  With  a  joyful  heart,  I  thought  how  soon  our 
noble  ships  would  do  them  up  and  send  them  to 
the  bottom  of  the  deep.  I  changed  my  mind 
shortly  afterward. 

The  escort  now  halted  at  a  safe  distance,  but 
the  Merrimac  (  I'll  call  her  the  Merrimac,  al- 
though the  Confederates  had  re-named  her  the 
Virginia,)  came  steaming  on,  evidently  making  for 
the  Congress,  passing  the  Minnesota  on  the  way. 
The  Minnesota  fired  a  broadside  at  her.  The 
great  big  sixty-four-pound  shots  struck  fairly  and 
bounded  away,  as  harmless  as  though  they  had 
been  peas  shot  by  a  pop-gun.  When  I  saw  the  lit- 
tle effect  of  those  mighty  projectiles,  I  was  filled  with 
despair.  The  Merrimac  did  not  deign  to  answer, 
but  steamed  down  into  the  channel,  passing  the 
Congress.  This  seemed  very  strange;  but  it  was 
explained  afterward  that  Captain  Buchanan,  the 
commander  of  the  Merrimac,  had  a  brother  aboard 
of  the  Congress,  who  was  an  officer  of  the  ship, 
and  he  thought,  by  destroying  the  Cumberland 
first,  that  the  Congress  would  then  see  the  futility 
of  any  further  resistance  and  would  surrender;  and 
his  brother's  life  would  thus  be  saved,  or,  at  least, 
not  endangered.  In  this  it  would  seem  that  he 
was  mistaken. 

As  soon  as  the  Congress  had  been  passed,  the 
Merrimac — with  her  long  ram  glittering  in  the  sun, 


64  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

ready  for  its  work  of  destruction, — put  on  all 
steam,  opened  the  portholes,  and  ran  out  the  guns, 
making  directly  for  the  Cumberland  ;  all  the  while 
being  stormed  at  by  both  the  Congress  and  the 
Cumberland,  but  with  utterly  futile  results.  The 
Cumberland  was  finally  struck  amidships,  breaking 
into  her  side  a  hole  that  would  have  sunk  her 
in  fifteen  minutes,  anyhow.  The  Merrimac  now 
drew  back  and  let  fly  a  couple  of  guns  that  sent 
a  pair  of  two-hundred-pound  shots  ripping  through 
the  entire  length  of  the  Cumberland.  The  surren- 
der of  the  Cumberland  was  now  demanded,  but  the 
answer  came  back,  "We  will  never  surrender  ;"  and 
neither  did  they.  But,  firing  their  guns  to  the  last, 
and  cheering  their  flag,  they  kept  up  until  the  sea 
settled  over  them. 

The  Merrimac  now  turned  her  attention  to  the 
Congress.  The  tide  was  now  going  out,  and  they 
could  not  get  close  enough  to  ram,  so  they  stood 
off  at  arm's  length  and  riddled  her  through  and 
through  with  their  terrific  projectiles ;  and,  as  she 
refused  to  surrender,  the  Southern  vessel  then  fired 
several  red-hot  shot,  setting  her  afire.  The  Mer- 
rimac then  returned  to  Norfolk. 

What  a  night  of  despair  it  was  !  We  antici- 
pated everything  disastrous  for  the  next  day.  We 
hated  to  see  the  dawn  of  another  morning.  And, 
what  added  to  our  sorrow,  the  splendid  ship,  the 
Minnesota,  in  attempting  that  night  to  leave  the 


MISS    MARY  SOBIESKI. 


MRS.  SOBIESKI.  THE    DEAD    SON, 

LAST    OF    THE    SOBIESKI    ROYAL    LIN£ 


Colonel  Sobieski's  Family. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  65 

Roads,  had  run  aground  and  could  not  be  gotten  oft. 

Next  morning  early,  at  high  tide,  the  Merrimac 
and  her  escort  returned  to  complete  the  work  of 
destruction.  But  she  did  not  know  the  new  foe  she 
had  to  grapple  with  ;  neither  did  we  know  of  it. 
Down  she  came  steaming  in  all  of  her  gloomy  ugli- 
ness, making  for  the  Minnesota,  which  was  lying 
hopelessly  aground.  All  at  once,  from  out  be- 
hind the  Minnesota,  there  appeared  a  new  craft, 
more  ludicrous  in  appearance,  if  possible,  than 
the  Merrimac  had  been  the  day  before;  looking 
just  as  some  Southern  writer  said,  "like  a  raft  with 
a  cheese-box  on  top  of  it."  She  steamed  out  spite- 
fully to  meet  her  antagonist,  and  they  came  together. 
Now  began  for  the  first  time  in  the  world's  his- 
tory a  contest  between  two  ships  of  iron,  and  for 
three  hours  and  fifteen  minutes  those  ships  of  war 
fought  each  other. 

During  the  contest  we  became  so  excited  and 
carried  away,  that  we  forgot  all  about  them 
being  simply  ships  of  war,  and  in  our  imagination 
they  became  mighty  combatants  ;  instead  of  being 
men-of-war,  they  became  gods.  We  would  shout 
and  cheer  whenever  we  thought  our  champion  had 
made  a  point.  At  one  time  we  thought  the  battle 
was  lost,  for  all  at  once  the  Monitor  ceased  firing  ; 
she  seemed  to  be  drifting,  and  we  thought  she  had 
become  hopelessly  disabled.  It  seemed  that  a 
shot  from  the  Merrimac  had  struck  the  pilot-house 


66  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

of  the  Monitor  right  at  the  point,  or  aperture, 
rather,  where  inside  Captain  Worden  was  con- 
ducting the  battle.  The  shot  striking  so  close  to 
his  eyes,  caused  a  concussion,  paralyzing  the 
optic  nerve  and  making  him  temporarily  blind.  It 
was  while  the  change  was  going  on  in  the  com- 
mand, that  the  ship  seemed  to  be  drifting  ;  but  she 
soon  came  into  battle  again  as  gallantly  as  ever, 
amid  the  shouting  and  cheering  of  the  forty  thous- 
and men  who  were  watching  from  the  shore. 
After  a  while  the  Merrimac  drew  out  of  the  con- 
test and  steamed  aimlessly  around  :  evidently  a 
council  of  war  was  being  held.  All  at  once  she 
put  on  all  the  steam  she  had  and  made  for  her  little 
antagonist,  striking  the  Monitor  with  such  force 
as  to  cause  the  Merrimac  to  careen  on  one  side, 
exposing  herelf  below  her  iron  mail.  Quick  as  a 
flash  the  Monitor  let  go  one  of  her  two-hundred- 
pound  shots.  It  went  tearing  through  the  entire 
length  of  the  Merrimac,  killing  fourteen  men, 
wounding  twenty-eight  others, — among  them  Cap- 
tain Buchanan, — and  put  the  ship  in  a  sinking 
condition.  She  now  steamed  out  of  action  and  sig- 
naled for  her  escorts,  who  tugged  the  sinking  ship 
back  to  Norfolk. 

And  when  we  saw  the  battle  was  over  and 
practically  a  victory  had  been  won,  our  joy  knew 
no  bounds.  We  shouted  and  cheered,  cried  and 
laughed;  some  men  fell  down  on  their  knees  and 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  67 

thanked  God  for  the  victory ;  others  hugged  their 
comrades  ;  others  cursed  and  swore  ;  just  as  they 
felt,  so  did  they  express  themselves.  Our  joy 
was  unconfined  :  we  had  no  drill  nor  parade  that 
day.  It  was  a  day  of  joy  that  I  shall  never  forget. 
That  battle  revolutionized  the  navies  of  the 
world.  Lord  John  Russell,  Minister  of  Marines  at 
that  time,  said  in  the  British  House  of  Lords  the 
next  day  :  "Yesterday,  we  boasted  that  our  navy 
was  the  greatest  in  the  world  ;  to-day,  we  have  to 
realize  that  we  have  no  navy  at  all." 


68  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Capture  of  Norfolk — Destruction  of  the  Merrimac — Siege  of  York- 
town — Battle  of  Williamsburg — Our  sojourn  in  the  Chickahominy 
swamps — Battle  of  Fair  Oaks — Seven  days'  battle  in  front  of  Richmond 
— Our  retreat  to  Harrison's  Landing. 

A  few  days  after  this  we  captured  Norfolk,  and 
one  result  of  that  battle  was  the  destruction  of  the 
Merrimac.  The  Confederates  blew  it  up  to  pre- 
vent it  from  falling  into  our  hands. 

When  we  captured  Norfolk,  we  captured  about 
a  thousand  Confederate  prisoners.  Norfolk  had 
been  a  celebrated  slave  mart  before  the  war,  so 
for  a  temporary  prison  the  Confederates  were  put 
into  these  slave  pens.  An  old  colored  woman, 
when  she  saw  the  pens  which  she.  had  so  often 
seen  filled  with  her  own  race,  now  filled  with  their 
masters,  it  was  too  much  for  her,  and  she  turned 
herself  into  a  regular  Methodist  camp-meeting,  and 
began  to  shout,  "The  Lord  is  slow,  but  he  is 
mighty  sure."  Doubtless  she  had  been  praying 
for  her  freedom  for  many  years,  and  now,  when  she 
saw  the  dawn  of  the  day  of  freedom  appearing,  she 
had  unconsciously  given  expression  to  the  saying 
of  the  ancients:  "The  mills  of  the  gods  grind 
slowly,  but  they  grind  exceeding  small." 

We  now  marched  on  to  Yorktown,  where  we 
besieged  that  place.     But  when  the  Confederates 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  69 

saw  that  their  works  were  becoming  untenable, 
they  evacuated;  and  we  followed  them  to  where 
we  fought  the  battle  of  Williamsburg,  where 
General  Hancock  won  his  spurs,  and  his  title  as 
"  Hancock,  the  superb." 

I  remember  the  morning  of  the  battle,  when  we 
were  pressing  our  way  on  to  Williamsburg.  It  had 
been  raining  for  two  or  three  days,  and  the  roads 
had  become  exceedingly  heavy.  An  ammunition 
wagon  had  stalled,  and  the  driver  had  been  beating 
and  pounding,  the  horses  doing  the  best  they 
could.  Finally,  in  his  anger,,  the  man  jumped  off 
the  horse  and  threw  a  rock  at  its  head.  Hancock 
was  right  behind  the  man,  who  did  not  know  it. 
Hancock  immediately  jumped  off  his  horse,  and 
seizing  a  rock,  hurled  it  at  the  man.  It  hit  him 
right  between  the  shoulders. 

The  man  cried,  "Oh!"  and  Hancock  said: 
"Yes,  damn  you,  that's  what  that  horse  would  have 
said,  if  it  could  have  spoken." 

I  was  never  cruel  in  my  nature,  and  I  do  not 
know  that  I  ever  mistreated  a  dumb  animal  ;  but  I 
never  have  occasion  to  deal  with  a  dumb  brute  but 
the  words  of  General  Hancock  come  to  my  mind  : 
I  wonder  what  this  animal  would  say,  if  it  could 
speak.  It  is  a  matter  of  a  good  deal  of  consola- 
tion to  me  to  believe  that  no  dumb  brute  will  rise 
up  in  judgment  against  me.  I  killed  a  little  bird 
once,  but  that  is  the  extent  of  my  "cussedness." 


70  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

After  the  battle  of  Williamsburg,  we  marched 
on  toward  Richmond.  Now  every  inch  of  soil 
that  we  trod  upon  was  historic  ground.  We 
passed  William  and  Mary  College,  where  the 
great  Jefferson  graduated,  with  other  distinguished 
Virginians;  and  the  white  house  where  Washing- 
ton courted  and  married  the  beautiful  widow,  Mrs. 
Custis.  Both  of  those  historic  landmarks  fell  a 
victim  to  the  torch — a  wicked  and  uncalled-for  act. 

There  are  always  men  who,  unrestrained, 
delight  in  destruction ;  there  are  no  rights  ot 
their  fellow  men  that  they  will  respect ;  with  them 
there  is  nothing  sacred  ;  they  are  really  barbari- 
ans— as  much  so  as  the  Apache  Indians ;  the 
only  civilization  that  they  have  is  a  very  slight 
veneering ;  they  are  men  who  are  never  brave  in 
battle,  who  are  always  hanging  around  the  out- 
skirts of  an  army,  their  object  being  to  plunder,  to 
murder,  and  to  destroy.  As  war  itself  is  a  species 
of  barbarism,  I  presume  that  this  class  will  always 
curse  civilized  armies. 

May  31st  and  June  1st,  1862,  we  fought  the 
battle  of  Fair  Oaks.  The  first  day  of  the  battle, 
owing  to  a  heavy  rain,  all  of  our  pontoon  bridges 
crossing  the  Chickahominy  had  been  swept  away, 
except  one  made  of  wild  grape-vines.  The  Con- 
federates took  advantage  of  this  and  attacked  our 
army  in  force;  that  is,  the  portion  of  it  that  had 
crossed  the  river  before  the  flood,  and  they  had  to 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  71 

stand  the  brunt  of  the  battle  the  first  day :  but  dur- 
ing the  night  the  rest  of  our  army  succeeded  in 
crossing  the  river.  So  on  Sunday  morning,  June  1st, 
our  army  attacked  the  Confederates  fiercely,  and 
the  battle  raged  all  that  day  until  two  o'clock  in 
the  afternoon,  when  the  Confederates  gave  way  all 
along  the  line  and  retreated  in  confusion  to  their 
old  position. 

The  most  important  result  of  this  battle  was 
the  severe  wounding  of  General  Joseph  E.  John- 
ston, the  Confederate  commander,  when  General 
Robert  E.  Lee  assumed  the  command.  There  he 
began  his  great  career  as  commander  of  the  army 
in  northern  Virginia,  a  career  which  placed  his 
name  among  the  world's  great  soldiers,  and 
endeared  him  forever  in  the  hearts  of  all  Southern 
people. 

General  McClellan  has  been  censured  a  good 
deal  for  not  continuing  the  battle,  driving  the 
Confederates  out  of  their  position,  and  capturing 
Richmond.  He  may  have  erred  in  this,  and  he 
may  not.  Repelling  an  attack  of  an  army  and  driv- 
ing it  back  is  quite  a  different  thing  from  driv- 
ing an  army  out  of  a  fortified  position  and  captur- 
ing a  city  fortified  and  defended  as  that  city  was. 
I  am  satisfied  that  General  McClellan  acted  wisely 
in  the  matter. 

We  had  now  pushed  the  Confederates  to  the 
very  outskirts  of  the  city:  we  could  see  the 


72  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

steeples  of  the  churches  and  hear  the  church  bells. 
But  just  at  this  juncture  General  Lee  succeeded 
in  forming  a  junction  with  Stonewall  Jackson. 
Stonewall  Jackson  had  succeeded  in  utterly  de- 
feating Generals  McDowell,  Fremont,  and  Banks; 
and  we  found  ourselves  attacked  not  only  by  Lee's 
army,  but  by  Stonewall  Jackson's  also.  Now 
followed  six  days  of  terrific  fighting,  which,  for  a 
succession  of  battles,  the  world  has  never  seen 
equaled,  and  in  which  more  than  fifty  thousand" 
men  were  either  killed  or  wounded. 

The  last  of  that  series  of  battles  was  fought  at 
Malvern  Hill,  and  this  was  the  climax.  McClellan 
had  formed  his  army  in  such  a  way  that  his  flank 
was  protected  by  the  great  gunboats  lying  in  the 
York  River.  Early  in  the  afternoon  General  Lee 
attacked  our  forces  fiercely.  My  old  captain,  now 
General  Magruder,  finding  out  where  his  old  bat- 
tery lay,  determined  to  capture  it  at  every  hazard. 
We  hurled  them  back  four  times.  Once  a  hand- 
to-hand  contest  took  place  right  over  our  guns  ; 
but  we  drove  them  back,  and  his  splendid  division 
was  nearly  annihilated.  He  was  afterwards  put 
under  arrest  by  General  Lee  for  recklessness  in 
the  matter.  Just  after  dusk  the  Confederates 
gave  way  at  all  points,  General  Lee  losing  more 
than  ten  thousand  men  in  this  battle.  That  night 
we  resumed  our  march  to  Harrison's  Landing, 
where  we  arrived  early  in  the  morning. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  73 

To  show  how  the  bravest  of  armies  will  now 
and  then  have  a  coward,  I  will  tell  this  story. 

At  the  battle  of  Malvern  Hill  General  Lee  met 
a  great  tall  Johnnie  in  full  retreat,  blubbering  like 
a  whipped  boy.  The  general  halted  him,  saying  : 
"Halt  here  !  what  regiment  do  you  belong  to  ?  " 

"Tenth  Virginia,  boohoo !  boohoo  !  " 

The  general  said,  "Go  back  to  your  regiment, 
and  stand  your  ground  and  fight  like  a  man." 

He  said,  "Oh,  no,  General  !  I'm  a  coward  ;  I 
told  them  I  was  when  they  drafted  me,  boohoo ! 
boohoo! " 

The  general  said,  "Why,  nonsense!  Virginians 
are  never  cowards ;  and  if  I  was,  I  wouldn't  be  a 
great  boo-baby. " 

"I  wish  I  was  a  baby,  and  a  gal  baby  at  that, 
boohoo!  boohoo!"  was  the  reply  of  the  poor 
fellow. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

The  army  at  Harrison's  Landing — Our  corps  ordered  to  reenforce 
Pope — Defeat — McClellan  again  in  command — March  into  Maryland — 
Battle  of  South  Mountain — Battle  of  Antietam — McClellan  removed — 
Burnside  in  command — Battle  of  Fredericksburg. 

I  shall  never  forget  the  morning  we  arrived  at 
Harrison's  Landing.  It  was  raining  hard,  as  it  had 
been  for  several  hours.  It  was  a  regular  Virginia 
downpour.  We  had  had  six  days  of  constant  fight- 
ing. My  corps,  the  Fifth  Army  Corps,  commanded 
by  Fitz  John  Porter,  had  borne  the  brunt  of  the 
fight,  as  we  were  the  rear  guard  and  were  fighting 
by  day  and  marching  by  night.  A  dozen  hours 
would  safely  cover  all  the  sleep  I  had  for  the  six 
days.  So,  when  I  had  hitched  my  horse  to  the 
picket  rope,  I  took  off  the  saddle  and  lay  down 
on  the  ground.  I  laid  my  head  on  the  saddle, 
and  slept  until  late  in  the  afternoon.  I  remember 
when  I  woke  up,  the  rain  had  just  begun  to  sub- 
side a  bit.  The  spot  where  I  lay  was  on  the  side 
of  a  little  hill,  so  the  water  ran  away  as  fast  as  it 
fell.  When  I  arose  and  looked  at  myself,  I  could 
hardly  recognize  myself;  the  rain  had  washed,  or 
bleached  out,  my  dirty  uniform,  so  it  looked  bright 
and  new.  Our  rations  had  not  yet  come  up,  so  I 
strolled  out  into  a  field  where  I  found  an  apple 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  75 

tree  full  of  half-grown  apples,  and  I  think  I  ate  a 
peck.  I  will  not  vouch  for  this  statement,  but  it 
was  astonishing  how  many  I  ate  of  them.  My 
comrades  wouldn't  touch  them,  as  hungry  as  they 
were,  and  they  tried  to  make  me  believe  that  I 
wouldn't  live  more  than  an  hour  and  a  half;  but 
they  agreed  with  me  perfectly — I  felt  as  gay  as  a 
lark.  I  remember  my  sergeant  said  that  a  Polander 
might  eat  them  and  digest  them  all  right,  but  it 
would  raise  hell  with  any  human  being. 

We  remained  at  Harrison's  Landing  about  a 
month,  or  a  little  more,  when  our  corps  was  ordered 
to  Washington,  and  then  out  to  reenforce  General 
Pope,  who  had  practically  superseded  General 
McClellan. 

In  the  last  days  of  August  we  fought  the  battles 
of  Manassas  and  Chantilly,  and  were  again  de- 
feated. We  lost  several  very  valuable  officers  in 
these  battles ;  among  them  was  Colonel  Fletcher 
Webster,  the  only  surviving  son  of  Daniel  Webster, 
the  great  statesman  ;  Colonel  Isaac  Stevens,  of 
Oregon,  formerly  governor  of  that  Territory;  but 
our  greatest  and  saddest  loss  among  the  officers 
was  the  gallant  General  Philip  Kearney. 

General  Kearney  was  a  native  of  New  Jersey,  I 
believe.  At  West  Point  he  was  a  classmate  of  Gen- 
eral Robert  E.  Lee.  He  had  won  a  splendid  rep- 
utation in  the  Mexican  War,  where  he  lost  an  arm. 
When  he  returned  from  Mexico,  he  retired  from 


76  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

the  United  States  army.  He  fought  in  the 
Italian  army  against  Austria,  and  maintained  his 
splendid  reputation  as  a  soldier;  and  such  was  his 
record  there,  he  was  given  a  badge  of  the  Legion 
of  Honor  for  his  services  in  Algiers.  At  the  out- 
break of  our  Civil  War  he  returned  to  the  United 
States,  tendered  his  services  to  our  government, 
and  in  the  Peninsular  Campaign  was  the  inspiration 
of  the  army.  He  was  a  perfect  stranger  to  fear. 
The  night  of  the  battle  at  Chantilly,  without  any 
guard,  he  rode  out  to  inspect  the  enemy's  lines, 
and  ran  into  them  ;  they  called  upon  him  to  halt ; 
he  wheeled  his  horse  and  attempted  to  escape  ;  the 
Confederates  fired  upon  him,  and  he  fell  dead  from 
his  horse.  General  Lee  was  not  far  away  ;  they 
reported  to  him  that  a  Federal  officer  of  distinction 
had  been  killed.  General  Lee  and  his  staff  went 
over  to  where  the  body  lay.  Lee  at  once  recognized 
his  old  classmate,  and  ordered  the  soldiers  to  take 
him  to  his  quarters;  a  guard  was  at  once  posted 
over  the  remains,  and  the  next  morning  the  body 
was  sent  into  our  lines  under  a  flag  of  truce. 

While  I  was  lecturing  in  England  some  years 
ago,  I  read  a  statement  made  by  an  English  officer 
who  was  serving  on  General  Lee's  staff,  in  regard 
to  the  death  of  General  Kearney.  He  said  that 
when  Lee  and  his  staff  went  out  to  ascertain  who 
the  fallen  general  was,  as  soon  as  Lee  saw  him  he 
recognized  him.  He  said  for  the  first  time  he  saw 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  77 

General  Lee  show  indications  of  emotion.  He 
turned  at  once  to  the  party  who  had  done  the  firing 
and  said:  "Boys,  do  you  know  whom  you  have 
killed  ?  You  have  killed  one  of  the  bravest 
soldiers  that  ever  drew  a  sword:  you  have  killed 
General  Kearney."  General  Leeordered  a  stretcher 
to  be  brought  and  the  remains  of  General  Kearney 
placed  upon  it,  and  ordered  that  the  remains 
should  be  carried  to  headquarters.  General  Lee 
and  his  staff  dismounted,  and,  uncovering  their 
heads,  formed  a  procession  and  followed  the  remains 
to  the  headquarters.  Thus  it  is  that  the  brave 
always  honor  the  brave. 

We  now  retreated  to  Washington,  and  Pope 
was  superseded  in  command  and  ordered  to  report 
to  St.  Paul,  Minnesota,  to  take  charge  of  the 
campaign  against  the  Indians  on  the  frontier. 

General  Pope  was  an  able  soldier,  but  he  was 
entirely  lacking  in  what  is  known  as  tact.  When 
he  was  called  from  the  West  to  the  East  and 
placed  in  command  of  the  Army  of  the  Shenandoah, 
the  good  record  he  had  made  in  the  West  had  pre- 
ceded him,  and  he  was  well  thought  of  by  all  of 
the  men  and,  I  think,  most  of  the  officers.  But  in 
two  weeks'  time,  by  his  unwise  utterances,  he  suc- 
ceeded in  making  himself  thoroughly  disliked  by 
all.  He  began  by  making  reflections  on  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac,  sneering  at  his  officers,  reflecting 
on  the  men.  In  the  first  general  order  he  issued 


78  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

to  the  army,  he  began  by  saying:  "I  have  come 
from  the  West,  where  we  have  been  accustomed 
to  look  at  the  backs  of  the  enemy;"  and  numerous 
other  unwise  sayings  made  him  thoroughly 
detested :  yet  I  believe  the  army  did  their  duty 
fully  and  faithfully  under  him,  as  they  loved  their 
cause,  if  they  did  not  their  general. 

McClellan  was  now  again  placed  in  command 
of  the  defenses  of  Washington,  which  really  meant 
the  command  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac ;  and 
the  news  of  his  reinstatement  was  hailed  with 
enthusiasm  by  the  men. 

General  Lee  had  already  crossed  over  into 
Maryland,  and  was  rapidly  approaching  Washing- 
ton. General  McClellan  at  once  put  his  army  in 
motion,  and  we  marched  out  of  Washington  to 
meet  Lee.  We  met  his  advance  guard  at  New 
Market,  drove  it  back,  reached  the  city  of  Frederick 
on  the  12th  of  September,  and  everywhere  our 
army  was  received  with  enthusiasm  by  the  people, 
which  much  surprised  us. 

On  Sunday,  the  14th,  we  fought  the  battle  of 
South  Mountain,  where  the  Confederates  were 
defeated  with  great  loss. 

We  rapidly  followed  them  to  Antietam.  There 
we  met  General  Lee  with  his  entire  command.  A 
drunken  general,  in  command  at  Harper's  Ferry, 
had,  without  much  resistance,  surrendered  to  Gen- 
eral Stonewall  Jackson  his  entire  command  of 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  79 

twelve  thousand;  and  thus  enabled  Stonewall  Jack- 
•son  to  reenforce  General  Lee  at  Antietam  with 
his  entire  corps.  This  made  the  battle  one  of  the 
most  terrific  and  bloody  of  the  war.  The  battle 
opened  in  the  morning,  and  lasted  all  day  and  far 
into  the  night;  the  loss  of  the  Union  and  Con- 
federate armies  on  that  day  was  more  than  thirty 
thousand. 

The  next  day  was  spent  in  replenishing  our 
exhausted  ammunition,  and  making  preparation  for 
an  attack  early  on  the  morning  of  the  19th.  But 
during  the  night  General  Lee  succeeded  in  making 
his  escape.  His  expedition  into  Maryland  had 
cost  him  heavily.  He  expected  large  reenforce- 
ments  to  his  army  from  the  Southern  sympathizers 
in  Maryland,  but  did  not  receive  any.  He  had  lost 
twenty-five  thousand  men,  and  had  also  lost  the 
prestige  of  the  victory  he  had  won  in  the  summer. 
His  mistake  was  a  heavy  blow  to  the  Southern 
cause. 

A  few  weeks  after  this,  while  General  McClellan 
was  reorganizing  his  army,  refitting  it  by  issuing 
clothing  to  the  men  and  doing  those  things  neces- 
sary to  make  an  army  efficient  after  such  an 
exhausting  campaign,  he  was  superseded  by 
General  Burnside,  and  ordered  to  report  at  Trenton, 
New  Jersey,  his  home.  This  closed  his  connection 
with  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  and,  indeed,  his 
services  in  the  Civil  War. 


8o  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

General  McClellan  was  one  of  the  most  accom- 
plished officers  our  army  ever  had.  He  had  grad^ 
uated  at  West  Point  at  the  head  of  his  class,  and 
had  won  a  fine  reputation  in  Mexico.  When  the 
war  in  the  Crimea  was  going  on,  he  was  selected 
by  General  Scott  to  visit  the  seat  of  the  war  to 
study  the  operation  of  the  allies  and  the  Russian 
army,  and  received  a  high  compliment  from  General 
Scott  for  his  report.  Shortly  after,  he  resigned 
from  the  army  and  was  made  president  of  the 
Illinois  Central  Railroad. 

At  the  outbreak  of  the  war,  the  governor  of 
Ohio  made  him  a  major-general  of  the  State  militia, 
and  he  led  them  into  western  Virginia.  His 
campaigns  there  were  so  brilliant  in  defeating  the 
Confederates,  that  he  was  made  a  major-general 
in  the  United  States  army  by  President  Lincoln. 
He  was  at  that  time  but  thirty-five  years  of  age. 
After  the  battle  of  Bull  Run  he  was  ordered  to 
Washington  and  placed  in  command.  The  prompt- 
ness with  which  he  brought  order  out  of  chaos 
delighted  the  country.  His  great  organizing 
powers  were  so  manifest,  that  when  Scott  retired 
from  the  army,  he,  by  general  consent,  succeeded 
him.  But  already  murmurs  had  been  raised 
against  him;  there  were  those  who  thought  he 
ought  to  inaugurate  an  active  campaign  in  Virginia 
in  the  winter,  and  nothing  could  he  say  in  defense 
of  himself  that  the  country  would  receive.  But 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  81 

after  General  Burnside  made  the  experiment,  after 
the  battle  of  Fredricksburg,  the  impracticability 
of  such  a  course  was  demonstrated.  Such  is  the 
nature  of  the  soil  in  that  country,  by  reason  of 
the  almost  constant  rains,  that  it  would  be  as 
impossible  to  carry  on  a  campaign  at  that  time 
of  the  year  as  it  is  in  the  Philippine  Islands 
during  the  rainy  season.  Then  his  Peninsular 
Campaign  was  severely  criticised,  and  he  was 
unfortunate  enough  to  secure  the  ill  will  of  the 
Secretary  of  War,  who  was  a  very  strong  and  a 
very  vindictive  man.  And  at  last  President  Lincoln 
considered  it  wise,  under  the  circumstances,  to 
remove  him  from  command;  but  his  removal  almost 
caused  a  mutiny  in  the  army.  No  man  was  ever 
idolized  by  his  army  as  was  General  McClellan, 
with  the  possible  exception  of  Napoleon  Bonaparte. 
He  was  one  of  those  men  whose  defeat  did  not 
effect  the  confidence  the  men  had  in  him;  they 
were  ready  to  do,  dare,  and  die  for  him.  Such  was 
the  men's  love  for  him,  that  the  government  con- 
sidered it  wise  at  the  beginning  of  the  battle  of 
Gettysburg  to  let  the  impression  go  out  that  he 
was  again  in  command;  and  the  impression  was 
general  throughout  the  entire  army  during  that 
battle,  that  we  were  fighting  again  under  the  eye 
of  "little  Mac;"  but  he  was  never  with  us  again. 

He  was  nominated  for  the  presidency  by  the 
Democratic  party  in  1864.     This  was  the  mistake 


82  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

of  his  life;  and  made  worse  by  the  platform  upon 
which  he  was  placed,  known  as  the  "  peace  plat- 
form," although  in  his  letter  of  acceptance  he 
declared  that  the  war  should  be  prosecuted  as  long 
as  any  man  disputed  the  authority  of  the  govern- 
ment. He  was  overwhelmingly  defeated  by  Presi- 
dent Lincoln  in  the  electoral  college,  although  he 
received  a  large  popular  vote.  He  was  afterward 
nominated  for  minister  to  England  by  President 
Johnson,  and  rejected  by  the  Senate  for  political 
reasons.  He  was  in  1877  nominated  for  governor 
of  New  Jersey  by  the  Democratic  party,  and  elected 
by  an  overwhelming  majority.  He  made  an  ex- 
ceedingly popular  and  able  governor. 

The  last  time  that  I  saw  him  was  at  the  Palmer 
House  in  Chicago,  in  1885,  when  I  and  some  other 
old  soldiers  who  had  served  under  him,  called 
upon  him.  He  received  us  very  graciously,  and 
seemed  to  be  much  touched  by  our  kind  remem- 
brance and  regard.  It  had  been  twenty-three 
years  since  I  had  seen  him,  yet  he  was  looking  so 
young  that  we  all  remarked  how  lightly  the  finger 
of  time  had  touched  him.  The  whiteness  of  his 
mustache  alone  seemed  to  show  his  age.  He  died 
a  few  weeks  after  this  of  heart  trouble,  after  a  few 
hours'  sickness. 

General  McClellan  was  in  every  way  a  high- 
toned  Christian  gentleman.  His  habits  and  mor- 
als were  exceptionable;  he  was  a  total  abstainer, 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  83 

he  neither  drank  liquor  nor  used  tobacco;  he  was 
unpretentious  in  his  life  and  living.  He  sought  to 
make  the  war  as  bearable  as  possible,  by  respect- 
ing property  and  families  in  Virginia.  He  was 
very  much  censured  for  this.  There  are  those 
who  believe  with  General  Sheridan,  that  the  most 
humane  way  is  to  make  war  as  terrible  as 
possible,  and  thereby  shorten  it.  But  General 
McClellan  did  not  take  this  view  of  it,  and  I  am 
satisfied  that  future  generations  will  decide  that 
he  was  right.  Of  all  the  twenty  battles  that  he 
fought,  he  never  clearly  lost  a  battle,  although 
none  of  his  victories  were  decisive. 

General  Burnside  now  assumed  the  command, 
and  was  received  with  great  satisfaction  by  the  army. 
Recognizing  the  fact  that  he  had  been  given  com- 
mand of  the  army  in  response  to  a  public  demand 
for  a  battle,  regardless  of  whether  he  was  ready 
or  not,  he  gave  battle  to  General  Lee  at  Freder- 
icksburg;  and  though  our  men  never  fought  more 
bravely,  yet  our  defeat  was  terrible.  We  lost 
more  than  twenty  thousand  men,  while  the  loss 
of  the  Confederates  was  very  slight  in  comparison. 

An  incident  occurred  in  this  battle,  showing 
how  gallantly  the  adopted  sons  of  America  fight 
for  her  flag. 

The  citadel  of  the  Confederate  position  at  the 
battle  of  Fredericksburg  was  Marye's  Heights, 
just  back  of  the  city  of  Fredericksburg.  This  was 


84  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

commanded  by  more  than  fifty  pieces  of  artillery. 
I  remember  reading  of  the  conversation  that  took 
place  between  General  Lee  and  General  Long- 
street  the  night  before  the  battle.  When  Lee 
asked  the  question  if  Longstreet  had  gotten  his 
cannon  so  posted  that  he  could  command  the 
approach  of  the  hill,  he  replied  that  he  could  comb 
it  as  with  a  fine-tooth  comb;  and  we  found  it 
so,  to  our  terrible  sorrow. 

Four  times  an  attempt  had  been  made  to  cap- 
ture the  hill,  and  we  had  been  beaten  back  with  a 
loss  that  was  appalling.  About  four  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon  of  that  day,  General  Thomas  Francis 
Meagher,  commander  of  the  celebrated  Irish  bri- 
gade, begged  permission  to  charge  it  with  his  bri- 
gade. Dismounting  from  his  horse,  sword  in  hand, 
he  led  the  charge.  My  battery  was  on  the  other 
side  of  the  river,  and  it  seemed  to  us,  from  where 
we  were  posted,  that  the  side  of  the  hill  was  so 
literally  covered  with  our  fallen  comrades  that  it 
would  be  impossible  for  a  charge  to  be  made  with- 
out the  men  tramping  upon  their  dead  and  dying 
comrades.  The  hillside  was  literally  blue  with 
their  uniforms;  yet  on  went  our  gallant  brigade. 
We  watched  them  with  bated  breath  as  they 
advanced.  All  at  once  the  entire  artillery  of  the 
enemy  opened  upon  them ;  but  unbroken  on  they 
went,  their  brave  commander  sorely  wounded,  his 
sword  broken  by  a  fragment  of  a  shell,  bleeding  in 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  85 

half  a  dozen  places, — he  still  led  them  on.  Already 
two-thirds  of  the  distance  had  been  made,  and 
more  than  two  thirds  of  the  brigade  was  down ;  but 
still  on  they  marched.  The  very  crest  of  the  hill 
had  been  reached,  and  we  were  shouting  :  "He's 
making  it!  He's  making  it!"  when  the  enemy's 
infantry,  four  deep,  arose  and  blazed  in  their  faces ; 
and  down  went  the  whole  brigade.  It  seemed  to 
us  as  though  every  man  had  been  killed;  but  under 
the  darkness  of  the  night  a  few  hundred  succeeded 
in  making  their  escape.  But  the  next  morning, 
out  of  the  thirty-eight  hundred  who  had  made  the 
charge,  only  six  hundred  and  eighteen  answered 
the  roll-call.  The  brave  general  himself  was 
wounded  in  a  half  dozen  places.  This  shows  the 
sacrifices  those  splendid  men  made,  that  the  flag 
of  their  country  might  wave  over  a  free  and  united 
people. 

Their  brave  leader — such  was  the  severity  of 
his  wounds — was  never  again  permitted  to  take 
active  part  in  the  field.  He  was  at  the  close  of  the 
rebellion  appointed  by  President  Johnson  as  gover- 
nor of  Montana  Territory.  He  was  drowned  in 
the  Missouri  River.  When  a  young  man,  he  had 
joined  with  others  of  his  countrymen  to  liberate 
Ireland  from  the  power  of  Great  Britain.  Failing 
in  the  attempt,  he  was  sentenced  to  death.  His 
sentence  was  commuted  to  transportation  to 
Van  Diemen's  Land  for  life.  After  serving  there 


86  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

some  years,  he  made  his  escape  and  came  to  the 
United  States.  He  served  as  a  captain  in  the 
Sixty-ninth  New  York  at  the  battle  of  Bull  Run. 
Such  was  his  conduct  there,  that  he  was  appointed 
brigadier-general  by  President  Lincoln,  and  signal- 
ized himself  for  bravery  at  the  battle  of  Fair  Oaks 
and  at  Gaine's  Mill.  In  addition  to  his  soldierly 
qualities,  he  was  a  great  orator. 

I  was  very  nearly  captured  while  we  were  near 
New  Baltimore,  after  the  battle  of  Antietam.  I 
took  charge  of  some  teams  one  day,  to  go  out  and 
get  some  forage.  Our  orders  were  very  strict  not 
to  enter  into  any  private  house,  and  if  any  of  my 
men  did  so,  or  attempted  in  any  way  to  molest  the 
inhabitants,  to  report  them  on  return  to  the  camp. 
After  getting  some  distance  out  into  the  country, 
and  being  some  little  distance  in  the  rear  of  my 
teams,  I  noticed  that  they  had  halted  in  front  of  a 
farm-house.  I  put  the  spur  to  my  horse,  and  as  I 
approached  the  house  heard  the  cackling  of  hens 
and  the  gobbling  of  turkeys,  and  knew  some  fowl 
(foul)  proceedings  were  going  on  at  the  front.  I 
rode  up  to  the  house  just  in  time  to  meet  the  men 
on  the  way  out  to  their  wagons,  with  their  hands 
full  of  fowls.  I  halted  them  and  ordered  them  to 
drop  their  plunder,  and  threatened  to  report  them 
on  returning  to  camp.  A  very  handsome  lady, 
apparently  about  thirty- five,  who  was  standing  on 
the  porch  of  the  house,  thanked  me  for  my  protec- 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  87 

tion,  and  calling  me  captain,  asked  me  how  soon  it 
would  be  before  I  would  return.  I  told  her  in  a 
couple  of  hours.  She  said  if  I  would  call,  she 
would  show  her  appreciation  of  my  services  by 
having  a  good  dinner  for  me. 

On  my  return  she  met  me  at  the  door,  and  a 
darky  received  my  horse  and  led  it  away. 

As  I  was  entering  the  hall,  she  said:  "  Captain, 
you  can  lay  your  belts  upon  this  table,  and  I'll 
promise  you  that  they  shall  not  be  interfered  with." 

I  hesitated  for  a  moment,  questioning  in  my 
mind  the  wisdom  of  the  act ;  but  I  took  them  off 
and  threw  them  on  the  table.  She  led  the  way 
into  the  parlor,  where  she  introduced  me  to  an 
exceedingly  handsome  young  lady,  who  was  her 
sister. 

She  said,  "Sister,  this  is  the  young  captain  who 
protected  our  house  this  morning." 

The  young  lady  bowed  and  smiled.  I  was  at 
that  time  twenty  years  of  age,  a  very  susceptible 
time  in  one's  life,  so  the  smile  was  more  than  I 
could  stand,  and  I  was  gone  in  a  minute. 

She  said,  "Yes,  sister  told  me  about  the  event 
of  this  morning,  and  that  shows  that  all  the  chiv- 
alry is  not  on  our  side." 

The  lady  of  the  house  said:  "  Now,  I  will  hurry 
up  my  servants  with  the  dinner,  and  my  sister 
will  entertain  you;"  which  she  did  charmingly. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

Soon  dinner  was  announced,  and  when  I 
entered  the  dining  room,  I  saw  there  were  several 
.extra  plates.  I  was  assigned  to  a  place  at  the  table, 
and  while  waiting  for  the  ladies  to  be  seated,  a 
door  opened  to  my  right,  and  in  walked  two  Con- 
federate officers,  a  captain  and  a  major.  They 
were  introduced  to  me  as  Captain  and  Major 
Grayson.  They  extended  their  hands,  and  I  shook 
hands  with  them  and  said  I  was  glad  to  meet  them. 
I  reckon  I  never  told  a  bigger  lie. 

The  lady  of  the  house  said:  "Now,  I  will  put 
the  major  on  the  right  of  our  friend,  and  the  cap- 
tain on  the  left.  There,  you  don't  know  how  nice 
you  warriors  look." 

I  thought  I  might  look  nice,  but  I  didn't  feel 
that  way.  It  was  some  minutes  before  I  dared 
look  in  the  face  of  my  hostess.  I  cannot  describe 
my  feelings  in  those  minutes,  though  I  tried  to 
conceal  them.  I  thought,  after  I  had  protected 
her  house,  she  had  laid  a  trap  to  take  me  prisoner. 
I  was  afraid,  if  I  looked  at  her,  I  would  say  some- 
thing that  wasn't  nice;  so  I  waited  until  my  emo- 
tions were  conquered,  and  everything  went  as 
pleasantly  as  though  we  were  old  friends. 

After  dinner  we  went  into  the  parlor.  All 
around  the  parlor  walls  there  were  pictures  of 
distinguished  Virginians:  Washington,  Jefferson, 
Madison,  Monroe,  Tyler,  Marshall,  Zachary 
Taylor,  and  others.  I  thought  all  this  time  that 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  89 

I  was  a  prisoner,  though  not  the  slightest  refer- 
ence had  been  made  to  the  subject,  or  to  my 
peculiar  position.  As  we  walked  around  the  room 
we  talked  about  the  great  men  whose  pictures  we 
looked  upon,  and  they  complimented  me  that  one 
so  young  as  I  was,  and  a  foreigner,  too,  should  be 
so  well  acquainted  with  the  lives  of  these  great 
men.  Soon  the  ladies  came  in  and  we  got  to  talk- 
ing about  my  native  country.  As  I  told  them  of 
the  struggle  of  our  country  for  liberty  and  the  part 
my  family  had  taken  in  the  struggle,  and  as  I  de- 
scribed the  Russian  prison,  the  death  of  my  father, 
the  banishment  of  my  mother  and  myself,  I  saw 
the  tears  standing  in  the  eyes  of  the  two  fair 
Virginians. 

I  now  told  my  hostess  that  I  must  go.  They 
all  begged  of  me  to  remain  longer,  as  they  had 
enjoyed  my  visit  so  well  ;  but  I  assured  them  that 
I  must  go.  I  thought  they  were  going  to  say  that 
they  would  keep  me  anyway;  but  soon  my 
horse  was  announced,  and  we  proceeded  out  into 
the  hallway,  followed  by  the  ladies.  The  gentle- 
men assisted  me  in  adjusting  my  belts,  and  when 
we  arrived  at  the  porch  the  little  darky  stood 
ready  with  my  horse.  When  the  bridle  was  placed 
in  my  hands,  I  turned  around  and  confronted  them 
for  the  first  time.  Up  to  this  time  not  a  single 
word  had  been  said  in  regard  to  our  peculiar 
relations. 


90  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

As  I  extended  my  hand,  both  of  the  gentlemen 
stepped  forward  to  receive  it.  The  major  said  he 
was  glad  to  have  met  me,  and  hoped  to  meet  me 
again  under  more  favorable  circumstances.  And 
the  captain  said,  "And  above  all,  we  hope  you 
may  go  through  the  rest  of  the  war  unscathed." 

I  thanked  them  for  their  kind  wishes,  tipped 
my  hat  to  the  ladies,  mounted  my  horse,  and  was 
gone.  My  relief  was  great  when  I  found  that  I 
was  a  free  man. 

Still,  I  have  often  since  pondered  upon  my 
strange  adventure  that  afternoon.  I  have  rather 
concluded  that  the  major  was  the  lady's  husband, 
that  the  captain  was  his  brother,  of  course,  and 
that  they  had  come  there  that  day  after  we  had 
left,  and  the  lady  had  told  them  of  the  events  of 
the  morning,  and,  under  the  circumstances,  they 
could  not  avail  themselves  of  their  opportunity  for 
my  capture.  I  wonder  if  they  did  go  through  the 
rest  of  the  storm  of  war  unscathed!  I  hope  they 
did;  and  I  have  often  hoped  since  then,  that  if 
they  did  come  through  alive,  that  I  might  meet 
one  or  both  and  have  a  talk  with  them  over  the 
events  of  that  afternoon.  I  have  given  up  that 
hope  now,  but  trust  in  the  great  Beyond  we  shall 
meet  and  have  a  talk  and  laugh  over  the  peculiar 
dinner  on  that  November  day,  when  we  met 
together,  and,  forgetting  the  bitter  passions  of 
war,  passed  the  hour  so  pleasantly. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  91 


CHAPTER  IX. 

March  again — Stuck  in  the  mud — General  Burnside  superseded  by 
General  Hooker — Reorganization  of  the  army — Advance  again  on  the 
foe — Battle  of  Chancellorsville — Charge  of  the  Eighth  Pennsylvania — 
Our  defeat — Discouragement. 

After  a  few  weeks  of  rest,  General  Burnside, 
heeding  the  demand  of  the  press  of  the  country,  ad- 
vanced again  on  the  foe.  We  went  just  far  enough 
to  get  submerged  in  the  mud  so  deep  that  it  took 
us  six  weeks  to  get  out. 

General  Burnside  was  now  removed,  and  Gen- 
eral Hooker  appointed  in  his  place. 

General  Burnside  resumed  the  command  of  the 
Ninth  Army  Corps,  and  reported  to  General  Grant 
for  service  in  the  West.  He  took  part  in  the 
siege  of  Vicksburg.  In  the  campaign  of  1864  he 
returned  to  Virginia  again  with  his  corps,  and  took 
part  in  the  siege  of  Petersburg.  At  the  close  of 
the  war  he  took  up  his  residence  in  Rhode  Island, 
was  elected  governor  of  the  State  two  or  three 
times,  was  twice  elected  United  States  Senator, 
and  finally  died  of  apoplexy.  General  Burnside 
was  one  of  the  most  refined,  cultured,  Christian 
men  that  ever  served  in  the  army.  He  was  an 
ideal  man  in  his  character:  he  made  a  good  soldier 
and  an  enlightened  statesman.  Peace  to  his  ashes. 


92  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

General  Hooker  went  to  work  with  all  of  the 
wonderful  vigor  of  his  nature  to  reorganize  the 
army  and  perfect  its  machinery;  and  completed  his 
work  to  the  last  detail.  His  great  reputation  as  a 
fighter  pleased  the  army  and  the  nation;  and  the 
campaign  of  1863  was  looked  forward  to  with  the 
greatest  hope,  by  army  and  nation.  So,  when  we 
opened  the  campaign  on  the  27th  of  April  with 
one  hundred  and  fifty-eight  thousand  men  in  the 
ranks,  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  was  never  before 
or  afterward  in  such  a  fine,  hopeful  and  spirited 
condition. 

But  an  incident  occurred  the  first  day  of  our 
activity  that  I  shall  never  forget.  General  Hooker, 
with  his  staff,  was  standing  close  to  our  battery. 
He  was  sitting  on  his  magnificent  charger,  when 
an  orderly  came  up  and  announced  the  successful 
crossing  of  the  river  by  General  French.  As 
Hooker  read  the  despatch,  he  almost  jumped  from 
his  saddle. 

"Good!"  exclaimed  he,  "I  have  got  them 
where  I  defy  God  Almighty  to  help  them." 

In  three  short  days  the  enemy  was  triumphant ; 
and  our  army,  defeated  and  broken,  with  a  loss  of 
nearly  twenty-five  thousand  men,  retreated  again 
across  the  Rappahannock  to  the  old  camps. 
General  Hooker  was  a  good  fighter  but  a  poor 
commander  of  an  army:  everything  went  wrong 
from  the  beginning. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  93 

I  can  never  forget  that  fatal  day  when  General 
Howard  permitted  himself  to  be  surprised.  Gen- 
eral Howard  had  been  apprised  in  the  morning  by 
General  Hooker  to  look  out  for  his  rear,  but  in 
some  way  had  neglected  doing  so.  While  some  of 
his  men  were  preparing  their  suppers,  and  others 
were  writing  letters  to  their  loved  ones,  that 
leopard  of  the  Southern  army,  General  Stonewall 
Jackson,  was  creeping  up  into  their  rear,  getting 
ready  to  make  his  last  and  awful  spring,  which  should 
cause  the  defeat  of  our  army,  and  his  own  death. 
Without  a  note  of  warning  he  sprang  out  on 
Howard's  men.  The  men  were  shot  down  before 
they  could  get  to  their  guns  or  rifles.  Panic  now 
seized  the  men  and  spread  from  regiment  to  regi- 
ment, brigade  to  brigade,  division  to  division,  un- 
til the  whole  corps  was  involved.  Down  they 
came  pell-mell,  like  a  seething  ocean  or  river. 

That  day  we  were  with  General  Pleasanton. 
He  intuitively,  as  soon  as  he  heard  the  tumult, 
seemed  to  understand  it.  Already  the  fragments 
of  the  dispersed  corps  were  upon  us  :  we  could 
hear  the  shouting  of  the  exultant  foe.  General 
Pleasanton  seemed  to  be  helpless.  There  were 
two  field  batteries,  but  it  would  take  time  to  get 
them  in  line.  There  was  a  splendid  regiment  of 
cavalry  that  had  just  come  in  from  a  scout. 

General  Pleasanton  turned  to  them  and  said: 
"  Major  Keenan,  are  you  willing  to  sacrifice  your- 
self and  regiment  to  save  the  army?" 


94  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

He  answered,  "I  am  willing  to  obey  orders." 

"Charge  the  enemy  at  once,  "ordered  General 
Pleasanton. 

Major  Keenan  coolly  turned  to  his  regiment 
and  ordered  the  men  to  mount. 

As  they  passed  my  battery  I  knew  I  was  look- 
ing upon  a  regiment  of  men  that  were  going  out  to 
die.  They  were  splendid  looking  men  from  west- 
ern Pennsylvania.  They  drew  their  hats  down 
close  around  their  heads,  settled  themselves  in 
their  saddles,  grasped  their  carbines  wjth  a  firmer 
grasp,  and  started  out  on  a  trot  toward  the  enemy. 
Just  at  a  place  where  a  point  of  woods  pointed 
down  into  the  clear  field,  they  sounded  the  bugle 
for  a  charge ;  and  eight  hundred  men  threw  them- 
selves into  the  face  of  twenty  thousand. 

Stonewall  Jackson,  never  dreaming  that  he  was 
being  charged  by  a  single  regiment  unsupported, 
gave  orders  for  his  corps  to  halt  and  reline.  It 
took  twenty  minutes  to  do  this ;  but  before  that 
time  we  had  our  batteries  in  position,  and  were 
giving  them  shot  at  the  rate  of  one  hundred  a 
minute.  We  were  now  reenforced  by  General 
Sickles,  and  the  fierce,  triumphant  onset  was  stayed, 
and  the  army  saved ;  and  the  gallant  Eighth 
Pennsylvania  Cavalry  had  done  it.  It  was  a 
grander  charge  than  that  of  the  "Light  Brigade," 
for  that  charge  was  a  blunder;  but  this  a  case 
.where  a  regiment  deliberately  sacrificed  itself  to 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  95 

save  the  army.      Oh,    that  we  had  a  Tennyson  to 
immortalize  these  splendid  heroes! 

Thirty  hours  after  this  we  were  back  across  the 
river  again,  with  a  loss  of  tweny-five  thousand  of 
our  comrades,  defeated  and  discouraged.  We  had 
started  out  with  great  hope  and  expectation ;  but 
all  our  hopes  were  blasted,  and  we  were  eating  the 
bitter  fruits  of  defeat. 


96  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 


CHAPTER  X. 

The  death  of  Stonewall  Jackson,  and  its  effect  on  the  Confederate 
army — Lee's  march  into  the  North — We  follow  him — Arrival  on  the 
field  of  Gettysburg — The  battle — Thrilling  description  of  Pickett's 
charge — Wounded — A  faithful  comrade — Taken  to  the  hospital  for  the 
mortally  wounded,  near  Hagerstown — Taken  to  the  hospital  at  Wash- 
ington— Rapid  recovery — Rejoin  my  company — Ordered  before  Casey's 
examining  board — Commissioned  colonel  of  a  colored  regiment — My 
declination — Rejoin  my  company — Crossing  of  the  Rapidan — Retreat 
— Winter  quarters. 

The  loss  of  the  Confederates  in  killed  and 
wounded  at  the  battle  of  Chancellorsville  was 
nearly  as  large  as  ours,  and  the  loss  on  both  sides 
was  nearly  forty  thousand ;  but  the  greatest  loss 
that  the  Confederates  sustained  was  the  death  of 
their  celebrated  leader,  General  Stonewall  Jackson. 

In  my  opinion,  take  it  all  in  all,  he  was  the 
greatest  soldier  developed  by  the  South  during  the 
Civil  War.  He  was  a  most  remarkable  character. 
Coming  from  very  humble  origin,  an  orphan  boy, 
he  succeeded,  partially  by  his  own  endeavors,  and 
with  the  help  of  some  friends,  in  being  appointed 
a  cadet  to  West  Point.  He  chiefly  distinguished 
himself  in  school  by  studious  habits.  If  he  did  not 
graduate  at  the  head  of  his  class,  he  came  near 
doing  so.  I  think  the  same  year  he  graduated  he 
went  to  Mexico ;  and  in  that  array  of  wonderful, 
bright  young  men  from  West  Point,  he  stood  in 
the  very  foremost  rank.  He  returned  home  a 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  97 

major  by  brevet.  He  afterward  resigned  from  the 
army,  and  became  an  instructor  at  Washington 
College,  Lexington,  Virginia. 

At  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  War,  it  was  said 
he  hesitated  long  before  he  decided  to  tast  his 
fortune  with  the  Southern  Confederacy;  but, 
believing  that  his  duty  to  his  State  was  imperative, 
he  offered  his  services  to  the  State  of  Virginia. 

At  the  battle  of  Bull  Run  he  commanded  a 
brigade.  During  the  battle  General  Beauregard 
saw  his  brigade  was  about  to  be  fiercely  attacked. 
He  asked  Jackson  if  his  brigade  would  stand. 
"  Yes,  like  a  stone  wall, "  was  the  reply. 

The  only  time  he  was  defeated  was  at  the 
battle  of  Winchester,  when  he  was  defeated  by 
General  Shields.  But  a  few  weeks  afterward  he 
fought  and  beat  in  detail  Generals  Banks  and 
Shields,  and  succeeded  in  joining  Lee  before 
Richmond,  where  he  hurled  his  invincible  divisions 
against  McClellan's  army  with  such  fierceness  that 
he  compelled  us  to  raise  the  siege.  It  was  his 
coming  so  suddenly  and  unexpectedly  on  the  field 
of  the  second  Bull  Run  battle,  and  striking  such  a 
terrific  blow,  that  fairly  paralyzed  Pope,  and  made 
the  defeat  of  his  army  complete  and  overwhelming. 
When  Lee  crossed  the  Potomac  in  1862,  it  devolved 
upon  General  Jackson  to  go  by  way  of  Harper's 
Ferry  and  capture  our  army  there.  This  he 
executed  to  the  letter ;  and  rejoining  Lee  the  night 


98  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

before  the  battle  of  Antietam,  saved  Lee's  army 
from  being  crushed  in  that  battle.  And  when 
everything  was  going  well  with  us  in  the  battle  of 
Chancellorsville,  it  was  Jackson  who  succeeded  in 
getting'  into  Howard's  rear  and  leaping  like  a  leop- 
ard from  the  jungle  upon  the  Eleventh  Corps, 
sweeping  everything  before  him,  and  making  the 
defeat  of  our  army  complete. 

Just  after  dark  that  night,  as  he  was  riding 
along  his  lines,  he  received  a  shot  that  completely 
shattered  his  arm.  It  was  from  the  effect  of  this 
wound  that  he  died. 

General  Lee,  in  writing  to  President  Davis, 
speaking  of  Jackson's  death,  said:  "I  have  lost 
my  right  arm.  "  He  had  lost  more;  for  the  Army 
of  Northern  Virginia  never  won  a  decided  victory 
after  his  death.  He  was  so  deeply  religious  in  his 
character,  that  one  is  reminded  of  the  days  of 
Cromwell.  He  was  the  Bayard  .of  the  Southern 
army  ;  without  blemish  or  reproach. 

As  soon  as  the  armies  had  rested,  preparation 
was  begun  for  another  campaign,  when  General 
Hooker  received  information  that  General  Lee  had 
started  northward.  He  at  once  put  his  army  in 
motion  to  follow  him.  During  the  march  General 
Hooker  retired  from  the  command  of  the  army, 
and  was  succeeded  by  General  Meade. 

The  appointment  of  General  Hooker  to  the 
command  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  proved  to  be 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  99 

most  unfortunate.  While  he  was  a  brave,  splendid 
fighter,  yet  he  lacked  the  coolness  of  a  great  com- 
mander. He  could  not  work  a  great  army.  At 
the  battle  of  Chancellorsville  he  never  got  more 
than  one-half  of  his  splendid  army  into  battle,  and 
some  of  them  got  in  on  their  own  hook.  He  was 
hot-headed,  impetuous,  and  passionate ;  and  what 
made  matters  still  worse,  he  loved  whiskey. 

After  he  left  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  in  the 
fall  of  1863,  the  Eleventh  and  Twelfth  Army 
Corps  were  consolidated,  forming  the  Twentieth 
Army  Corps.  With  it  he  went  to  reenforce  Gen- 
eral Grant  at  the  battle  of  Chattanooga,  or  Look- 
out Mountain,  where  he  did  some  splendid  fighting 
But  during  the  campaign  of  Atlanta  he  got  dis- 
pleased at  something,  and  asked  to  be  relieved. 
He  died  in  Cincinnati  some  years  afterward,  from 
paralysis. 

General  George  G.  Meade,  who  succeeded  him, 
was  a  fine  soldier.  He  came  out  in  command  of 
the  Pennsylvania  Reserves.  As  a  brigade  com- 
mander, as  a  division  commander,  and  as  corps 
commander,  he  had  been  eminently  successful. 
A  better  selection  could  not  have  been  made. 
Taking  command  of  the  army  while  it  was  on 
the  march,  he  had  many  things  to  contend  with  ; 
but  he  brought  it  upon  the  field  of  Gettysburg, 
notwithstanding  the  hot  and  dusty  march,  in  fine 
shape.  We  arrived  on  the  field  of  Gettysburg 


ioo  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

about  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  We  had  a 
brisk  engagement  with  the  enemy  as  soon  as  we 
arrived,  and  were  compelled  to  retreat  through  the 
suburbs  of  Gettysburg. 

A  lieutenant  of  my  battery,  Lieutenant  Wills, 
was  mortally  wounded.  My  captain  ordered  me 
to  take  charge  of  him,  and  see  that  no  harm  befell 
him.  I  took  him  into  a  house  and  laid  him  upon 
a  sofa.  There  was  no  one  in  the  house:  I  think 
they  had  gone  into  the  country  for  their  health. 
My  lieutenant  lived  but  a  few  minutes.  He  had 
given  me  his  watch,  a  picture  of  his  wife,  and  a 
letter  which  he  had  written  to  her  that  morning. 
In  the  letter  he  had  predicted  to  her  his  death  in 
that  battle. 

As  I  looked  out  of  the  window  of  the  house, 
I  saw  the  Confederate  soldiers  swarming  all  about 
it.  I  saw  at  once  that  I  was  in  the  Southern  Con- 
federacy. I  put  the  keepsakes  in  my  pocket,  and 
ran  down  cellar  and  into  a  room  where  the 
farmer  kept  his  milk,  cheese,  butter,  and  such. 
The  cellar  was  dimly  lighted  from  the  west. 

The  little  village  of  Gettysburg  was  largely 
what  is  called  an  agricultural  town,  that  is,  many 
of  the  farmers  lived  in  it  and  were  cultivating 
farms  that  were  adjacent  to  it;  and  this  happened 
to  be  one  of  those  farm-houses. 

I  soon  took  in  the  situation,  and  already  hear- 
ing footsteps  up-stairs,  and  knowing  the  instincts 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  101 

of  a  soldier  well  enough  to  know  they  would 
be  down-stairs  hunting  for  something  to  eat, 
I  came  out  of  the  room,  and  getting  behind  the 
stairway,  took  a  seat  on  a  barrel.  I  wanted 
some  of  that  milk  and  cheese  awfully  bad :  but 
soon  down  came  the  rebel  soldiers,  and  as  they 
passed  me,  I  fell  into  line  and  went  into  the  little 
room  with  them,  and  drank  milk  and  cream  out  oi 
the  same  earthen  milk-pan  with  men  whom  I  had 
been  fighting  half  an  hour  before. 

I  remember  as  I  was  drinking  from  the  first 
milk -pan,  a  Confederate  soldier  who  was  waiting 
to  take  his  turn  at  it,  became  impatient  for  his 
turn,  and  said:  "Come,  chum,  hurry  up  now;"  and 
when  he  saw  so  little  left  in  the  pan  as  I  handed  it 
to  him,  he  said:  "My  God,  chum,  what  a  capac- 
ity you  have  for  drink!" 

Then  I  found  some  pickles  and  some  ginger- 
bread, and  got  a  big  hunk  of  cheese.  I  then 
retreated  with  the  boys,  but  was  very  careful  to 
fall  in  behind  and  unobserved  take  my  place  again 
on  the  barrel  behind  the  stairway.  A  half  dozen 
delegations  came  down  in  the  next  two  or  three 
hours,  and  each  time  the  same  thing  was  gone 
through  with:  each  time  I  fell  in  with  them  and 
went  into  the  little  room,  to  prevent  myself  being 
discovered  by  anyone  who  was  bent  on  investiga- 
tion. I  filled  myself  chuck  full  of  milk,  cream, 
gingerbread,  cheese,  and  pickles,  without  any 


102  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

detriment  whatsoever  to  myself.  I  wish  I  could 
do  that  now.  Early  in  the  morning  the  rebels 
were  driven  back  again,  and  I  found  my  command 
without  any  difficulty. 

Late  in  the  evening  of  the  2nd  of  July,  and  the 
second  day  of  the  battle,  I  started  out  with  some 
canteens,  to  fill  them  with  cool  water  for  myself 
and  some  comrades.  A  large  spring  which  was  on 
the  field,  was  in  our  hands  late  in  the  afternoon; 
but  it  seemed  later  that  the  Confederates  had 
expanded  themselves  and  taken  it  in.  I  care- 
fully made  my  way  through  the  dark  to  the  spring. 
I  filled  my  canteens,  and  noticed  quite  a  number 
of  men  filling  canteens  at  the  same  time.  All  I 
could  see  of  them  was  the  dark  outlines  of  their 
forms. 

When  I  finished  filling  my  canteens,  a  man 
at  my  side  said:  "Chum,  may  I  have  your  dipper 
to  fill  my  canteen?" 

I  said  yes,  and  gave  it  to  him ;  but  that  word 
"chum"  was  a  word  not  in  vogue  with  us,  so  I 
asked  him  what  command  he  was  in. 

"Why,"  he  said,  "Hood's  command,  Third 
Texas." 

"What  command  is  yours?"  said  he. 

I  had  a  lie  all  ready  for  him ;  I  told  him  the 
Fourth  North  Carolina.  Just  then  he  had  finished 
his  canteens  and  handed  the  dipper  back  to  me, 
when  another  man  asked  me  for  the  dipper.  I  let 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  103 

him  have  it,  but  I  had  lost  all  interest  in  that 
dipper.  However,  I  succeeded  in  getting  into  our 
lines  without  any  trouble. 

The  next  morning  about  nine  o'clock  our 
battery  was  ordered  to  reenforce  General  Farns- 
worth.  We  started  on  our  journey.  Just  at  that 
moment  I  was  not  dreaming  of  any  danger,  but  a 
sharpshooter,  who  was  posted  somewhere  out  of 
sight  up  among  the  rocks,  drew  a  bead  on  me  and 
let  me  have  it.  When  I  was  struck  by  that  bullet 
the  sensation  was  peculiar;  it  seemed  to  me  as 
though  I  went  right  up  into  the  sky  about  one 
hundred  and  fifty  feet.  A  spiritualist  friend  of 
mine  said  my  soul  did,  but  that  it  came  back  again. 
Well,  I  am  glad  it  did  change  its  mind,  and  not 
leave  me  on  such  a  slight  pretext  as  that.  My 
comrades  say  I  fell  like  a  log.  When  I  came  to 
myself  my  battery  had  disappeared,  but  my  horse 
had  remained  with  me  and  was  smelling  me.  The 
first  thing  that  I  did  was  to  ascertain  what  was  the 
matter.  I  rose  to  a  sitting  position,  when  I  felt 
the  blood  trickling  down  both  sides  of  my  body. 
On  raising  my  blouse,  I  found  I  had  been  shot 
through  the  stomach,  the  bullet  coming  out  close 
to  my  back-bone,  without  in  any  way  injuring  it. 
I  at  once  lay  down  on  my  side.  I  thought  I 
would  live  about  half  an  hour.  I  had  seen  men 
similarly  wounded,  and  they  usually  died  within  an 
hour. 


104  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

Do  you  ask  what  I  thought  while  I  lay  there? 
Well,  not  much  of  anything.  I  thought  what  kind 
of  a  sensation  I  would  experience  in  my  last 
moments.  I  was  not  at  all  afraid  to  die.  I  had 
never  in  my  life  consciously  done  any  man  a  wrong, 
and  never  desired  to  harm  any  one,  except  in  the 
discharge  of  my-  duty  as  a  soldier.  I  had  no 
desire  to  injure  anybody,  not  even  the  Czar  of 
Russia.  I  at  that  time  took  comparatively  little 
interest  in  religion.  My  early  training  had  been 
that  of  a  Catholic,  but  I  had  now  ceased  to  be  one. 
I  loved  God  and  my  fellow  men.  I  believed  in 
the  Bible;  at  least  what  I  knew  about  it.  I  had 
never  read  the  book  at  that  time,  but  had  read 
Bible  stories,  which  constituted  all  of  my  Bible  lore. 
I  believed  in  the  immortality  of  the  soul  and  in  the 
recognition  of  our  friends  hereafter,  and  did  not 
doubt  that,  in  case  of  my  death,  I  would  soon  be 
with  my  father  and  mother  in  the  happy  land.  And 
I  believed  in  Christ;  so  the  thought  of  death  did 
not  worry  me. 

While  I  was  lying  there, — perhaps  it  had  been 
twenty  minutes  from  the  time  I  had  recovered  my 
consciousness, — a  young  man  belonging  to  the 
"ambulance  corps  came  along  and  asked  me  about 
my  wound.  I  told  him.  He  told  me  to  lay  over 
on  my  back,  and  as  soon  as  he  could  he  would 
send  a  stretcher  for  me  and  take  me  from  the 
field.  As  the  day  was  very  hot,  I  took  my  hat  and 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  105 

shaded  my  face.  All  at  once  a  new  sensation 
took  possession  of  me  :  it  was  like  an  electric  thrill. 
I  almost  shouted  with  gladness.  I  knew  I  was  not 
going  to  die,  but  would  soon  be  restored  to  health. 
A  couple  of  men  with  a  stretcher  came  then  and 
took  me  off  the  field. 

Down  under  the  base  of  a  hill  was  a  straw-stack, 
where  there  was  an  improvised  hospital.  As  there 
was  no  fighting  going  on  in  that  part  of  the  field 
that  morning,  I  was  at  once  waited  upon  by  a 
kindly  old  doctor,  who  did  not  belong  to  the  army, 
and  who  evidently  had  come  in  from  the  country. 

As  he  came  up  to  me,  he  said  :  "My  dear 
young  man,  do  you  know  the  nature  of  your 
wound? " 

I  said,  "Yes,  sir." 

''Well,"  he  said,  "if  you  have  not  made  your 
peace  with  your  God,  you  had  better  do  it  at  once, 
as  you  have  but  a  short  time  to  live." 

I  told  him  that  God  and  I  were  on  the  best  oi 
terms,  for  I  had  never  done  any  fussing  with  him. 
He  looked  upon  me  compassionately,  and  told 
them  to  take  me  into  the  shade  near  by,  as  the  sun 
was  very  hot.  I  got  along  excellently  that  day, 
suffering  only  a  little  feeling  of  nausea,  and  that 
was  all. 

About  one  o'clock  the  terrific  artillery  battle 
began  between  the  Confederates  and  our  forces. 
Three  hundred  pieces  of  artillery  were  pouring 


io6  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

forth  their  missiles  of  death.  I  had  never  heard 
anything-  like  it;  the  earth  where  I  lay  shook  and 
trembled  constantly.  After  two  hours  or  so  it 
ceased,  and  then  after  a  short  interval  it  reopened 
again.  It  was  our  artillery  attempting  to  repel 
Pickett's  charge.  About  half  past  four  they  began 
to  bring  in  the  wounded.  I  soon  lost  all  thought 
of  myself  in  the  groans  and  cries  of  my  suffering 
comrades.  So  many  of  them  were  torn  by  shot 
and  shell,  and  their  suffering  was  awful. 

About  six  or  half  past  six  my  comrade  found 
me.  He  was  overjoyed  when  he  saw  that  I  was 
alive,  but  saddened  at  the  nature  of  my  wound. 
I  told  him  I  was  all  right,  hadn't  suffered  a  bit, 
wasn't  going  to  suffer,  and  expected  to  live  at  least 
seventy-five  years  longer.  He  now  went  off  for  a 
doctor,  and  brought  one,  who,  after  examining  my 
wounds,  asked  me  how  early  in  the  day  I  had  been 
wounded.  I  told  him.  He  said  he  was  astounded 
to  think  that  I  had  lived  so  long,  and  told  me  that 
I  would  not  live  an  hour.  My  comrade  expressed 
some  impatience  when  the  doctor  told  him  he  could 
do  all  that  could  be  done  for  me,  and  that  was  to 
keep  my  wound  as  cool  as  possible,  and  for  him  to 
get  a  canteen  of  cold  water  and  to  keep  the  wound 
constantly  wet.  He  did  as  directed,  and  all  night 
long  he  kept  up  his  vigil:  trickle,  trickle,  trickle — 
I  can  feel  the  water  now,  it  seems.  When  morn- 
ing came  I  was  in  fine  condition.  Early  in  the 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  107 

forenoon  I  was  placed  in  an  ambulance  and  taken 
out  near  Hagerstown,  where  I  was  put  into  a  big 
barn  that  had  been  converted  into  a  temporary 
hospital  for  the  mortally  wounded. 

Shortly  after  my  arrival  a  young  man  came 
along,  asked  me  my  name,  my  company  and  age. 
These  items  he  wrote  out  on  a  piece  of  paper,  and 
pinned  it  on  my  blouse.  I  told  him  that  was 
unnecessary,  as  I  expected  to  live  many  years. 

Right  behind  him  was  a  Catholic  sister,  who, 
looking  down  upon  the  piece  of  paper  on  my 
blouse,  said  to  me:  "You  are  a  Catholic." 

I  said,  "No,   I  am  not." 

"You  have  a  Catholic  name,"  she  said. 

"Yes,"  I  replied,  "  I  have  been  a  Catholic,  but 
I  am  not  one  now." 

She  asked  me  what  I  was. 

I  told  her  I  was  nothing. 

"  Well,  my  poor,  wayward  boy,"  said  she,  "  I 
shall  stay  by  you  until  it  is-all  over  with  you." 

"Well,"  I  said,  "then  you'll  have  to  marry  me, 
as  I  intend  to  inhabit  this  planet  for  some  years  to 
come." 

She  smiled  and  said  nothing,  but  carefully 
watched  over  me  until  I  was  removed  from  the 
barn  hospital. 

In  the  course  of  four  or  five  days  all  had  died 
except  about  a  half  dozen,  and  we  were  taken  to 
Washington  to  the  hospital.  The  doctors  cheered 


io8  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

me  up  by  telling  me  that  I  would  live  only  a  day 
or  two,  and  wanted  to  label  me  again.  I  refused 
to  let  them,  kept  in  the  best  of  spirits,  laughing 
and  joking  with  my  attendants,  and  in  four  weeks' 
time  I  was  down  on  the  streets;  and  in  eight  weeks 
to  a  day  from  the  time  I  was  wounded,  I  reported 
for  duty.  From  the  day  I  was  wounded,  I  kept 
improving  every  minute.  I  attribute  my  wonder- 
ful recovery  to  the  fact  that  I  was  a  very  young 
man, — lacking  a  few  weeks  of  being  twenty-one, 
—possessed  of  a  happy,  jovial,  hopeful  nature,  and 
I  had  lived  a  good  life.  I  had  never  drunk  liquor, 
or  used  tobacco — except  about  half  of  a  cigar,  and 
I  am  sure  that  I  vomited  that  poison  up  about  as 
soon  as  it  made  a  lodgment.  The  doctors  told 
me  that  I  must  have  come  of  a  splendid  line  of 
ancestry,  who  had  led  pure  lives,  as  there  was  not 
the  slightest  evidence  of  any  poison  in  my  system. 
I  do  not  know  how  that  may  have  been,  but  I  got 
well,  and  was  able  in  two  months  to  eat  hardtack, 
corned  beef,  and  "sow-belly,"  and  digest  it  all 
right  and  return  to  my  duty. 

A  few  days  after  my  return  to  my  battery,  I 
was  ordered  to  return  to  Washington  and  report 
to  General  Casey's  examining  board.  I  passed 
my  examination  so  successfully  that  it  was 
announced  to  me  as  soon  as  I  was  mustered  out  ot 
the  Second  Artillery,  that  I  would  receive  a  commis- 
sion in  the  regular  army.  I  was  at  once  mustered 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  109 

out  of  my  company,  went  to  Washington,  reported 
to  headquarters  (war-office),  where  I  received  a 
commission  as  colonel  in  the  United  States  col- 
ored troops.  You  may  be  surprised,  but  I  was 
very  much  disappointed  with  the  outcome  of  this. 
Had  I  received  the  commission  of  second  lieu- 
tenant with  white  troops,  I  would  have  been 
delighted;  but  with  the  prejudice  I  then  had,  if  I 
had  received  the  commission  of  major-general  in 
the  colored  troops,  I  would  have  hesitated.  I 
went  out  to  Georgetown  and  saw  the  men  that  I 
was  to  convert  into  soldiers — that  was  enough. 
I  went  back  to  the  city,  returned  my  commission, 
had  the  order  mustering  me  out  of  my  com- 
pany rescinded,  and  returned  to  my  bugle  again. 
I  have  long  since  come  to  the  conclusion  that  I 
made  a  big  mistake  in  that  step.  The  colored 
men  made  fine  soldiers  in  the  war,  and  have 
since  then  behaved  bravely  in  our  regular  army; 
and  at  the  battle  of  Santiago,  Cuba,  they  proved 
themselves  to  be  the  very  best.  I  know  a  "heap" 
more  now  than  I  did  in  1863,  and  so  do  a  great 
many  more  people  that  I  know  of — and  I  expect  to 
learn  "right  smart"  yet. 

Shortly  after  I  returned  to  my  command  the 
army  made  an  advance  over  the  Rapidan,  in  an 
attempt  to  surprise  General  Lee  ;  but  owing  to  the 
blunders  of  a  drunken  general,  the  opportunity 
was  lost,  and  we  returned  to  Culpepper,  Virginia, 
for  the  winter. 


no  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

Reorganization  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  —  Preparation  for  the 
campaign  of  1864 — Grant  visits  us — Opening  of  the  campaign — Battle  of 
the  Wilderness — Terrible  slaughter — Changing  of  our  base  to  Petersburg 
— Siege  of  Petersburg  begun. 

The  Army  of  the  Potomac  was  again  reorganized, 
the  First  and  Third  Corps  broken  up  and  put  into 
other  corps.  My  corps,  the  Fifth,  received  a  large 
portion  of  the  First  Corps.  General  Meade 
labored  all  that  winter  to  bring  the  army  to  the 
highest  state  of  efficiency  for  the  great  campaign 
which  we  knew  was  before  us.  General  Grant 
visited  us  and  reviewed  us,  and  it  was  well  under- 
stood that  he  would  be  with  us  to  conduct  the 
campaign.  The  record  of  General  Grant  had  been 
such  that  he  had  the  confidence  of  the  entire  army, 
as  well  as  of  the  country  ;  and  during  all  of  the 
time  that  he  was  with  us,  it  grew  instead  of  dimin- 
ishing. He  was  cool,  wise,  and  tactful. 

The  first  of  May  we  opened  our  campaign  in 
the  Wilderness  with  a  series  of  battles  lasting 
twelve  days,  which  took  the  name  of  "Battle  of  the 
Wilderness."  It  should  have  been  called  the 
"Battles  of  the  Wilderness."  It  took  the  name 
"the  Wilderness"  from  the  fact  that  the  country 
over  which  we  struggled  was  heavily  wooded.  In 
the  twelve  days  of  that  struggle  the  Union  army 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  m 

lost  seventy  thousand  men  in  killed,  wounded  and 
missing.  It  was  a  battle  of  giants:  the  strategy  of 
Lee  was  pitted  against  the  strength  and  courage 
of  Grant.  Finally,  Grant,  seeing  the  futility  of 
attempting  to  force  Lee  back,  changed  his  base  to 
Petersburg.  In  doing  so  we  fought  what  was 
known  as  the  celebrated  second  battle  of  Cold 
Harbor.  It  took  that  name  from  the  fact  that  a 
battle  had  been  fought  on  the  same  ground  during 
the  Peninsular  Campaign  of  1862.  It  proved  to  be 
the  most  awful  and  destructive  battle  of  the  war, 
for  the  time  it  lasted.  .  In  one  half  hour  Grant  lost 
sixteen  thousand  men  in  killed,  wounded  and 
missing.  Grant  always  said  he  made  a  great 
mistake  in  fighting  that  battle,  as  nothing 
was  gained  by  it  except  the  slaughter  of  men. 

We  now  began  the  siege  of  Petersburg,  which 
lasted  from  June,  1864,  till  March,  1865.  The  coun- 
try would  not  have  permitted  so  long  a  siege  at  the 
beginning  of  the  war,  but  the  people  had  learned 
something  since  then;  the  press  of  the  country 
had  learned  something;  and  all  had  confidence  and 
faith  in  the  patriotism  and  the  ability  of  General 
Grant,  and  were  willing  to  trust  him  and  to  let  Grant 
and  the  President  run  things,  believing  all  would 
go  well.  If  they  had  felt  so  at  the  beginning  of  the 
conflict,  it  would  have  been  better  for  all  concerned. 

During  the  winter  of  1864-65  we  saw 
unmistakable  evidence  ot  the  disintegration  of 


ii2  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

Lee's  army ;  desertions  became  very  frequent,  and 
those  who  came  to  us  were  half  starved  to  death. 
Grant  and  Sheridan  had  perfected  their  plans,  and 
were  ready,  as  soon  as  the  roads  permitted,  to  give 
Lee's  forces  a  stunning  blow. 

On  the  26th  of  March  the  campaign  opened. 
The  battle  of  Five  Forks  was  fought :  then  began 
the  great  struggle  that  ended  in  the  surrender  of 
Lee.  Lee  was  compelled  to  evacuate  Petersburg, 
which  uncovered  Richmond,  and  that  city  at  last 
fell.  Lee  started  up  the  valley,  evidently  to  try  to 
reach  Lynchburg.  The  enthusiasm  of  our  army 
on  this  march  was  boundless.  The  officers  could 
hardly  get  their  men  to  rest.  They  had  got  Lee 
on  the  run  at  last,  and  were  determined  to  keep 
him  moving.  When  he  reached  Appomattox  he 
found  Sheridan  in  front  of  him — that  ended  the 
matter.  I  shall  never  forget  the  enthusiasm  when 
we  learned  that  the  two  great  generals,  Grant  and 
Lee,  had  met  under  a  flag  of  truce  and  were  nego- 
tiating for  a  surrender.  Then  came  the  news  of 
the  agreement  of  the  surrender  of  Lee.  Our  divi- 
sion was.  appointed  to  receive  the  surrender. 
General  Grant  gave  strict  orders  that  there  should 
be  no  cheering  or  exultation  at  the  surrender. 
"For,"  said  he,  "remember  that  they  are  no 
longer  our  enemies,  but  our  countrymen.  "  There 
was  no  disposition  for  exultation.  We  had  fought 
these  men  for  four  years ;  we  had  tested  their  man- 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  113 

hood  upon  forty  fields  of  battle ;  we  knew  that  they 
were  sincere  in  their  convictions  that  their  cause 
was  right.  So  the  least  thought  of  our  hearts  was 
the  spirit  of  exultation.  On  that  lovely  morning 
of  April,  twenty-eight  thousand  starved,  ragged, 
and  destitute  men  marched  out  and  stacked  their 
arms  and  broke  ranks,  and  the  war  was  practically 
over. 

We  divided  our  rations  with  them;  you  would 
never  have  imagined  that  we  had  been  foes.  We 
freely  mingled  with  each  other;  there  was  no  dis- 
cord. 

After  a  few  weeks  my  battery  was  ordered  to 
Washington.  I  was  not  mustered  out  of  the  service 
until  the  26th  of  June.  I  desired  very  much  to 
take  part  in  the  great,  grand  last  review  in  Wash- 
ington. The  Army  of  the  Potomac  was  reviewed 
one  day,  and  Sherman's  army  the  next  day.  I 
remember  as  we  marched  down  Pennsylvania 
Avenue,  the  shouting  of  the  mighty  hosts  of  people 
who  witnessed  our  march,  and  this  inscription  on  a 
banner  that  stretched  across  the  avenue:  "There 
is  one  debt  that  the  nation  can  never  pay,  and  that 
is  the  debt  that  is  due  to  its  soldiers."  The  next 
day  Sherman's  army  was  reviewed.  How  anxious 
I  was  to  see  that  mighty  army  of  men  and  leaders! 
Sherman,  Logan,  Blair,  and  others;  and  then  the 
.mighty  army  itself — men  who  had  marched  from 
Atlanta  to  the  sea,  then  north  to  Washington:  and 


ii4  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

when  I  came  to  witness  their  parade,  I  .was  filled 
with  pride  for  this  army.  They  looked  every  inch 
the  mighty  men  of  war  they  were.  I  saw  a  sight 
those  two  days  that  probably  will  never  be 
witnessed  in  this  country  again:  two  hundred 
thousand  veteran  soldiers,  whose  average  service 
was  three  years  ;  who  had  gone  through  a  war  such 
as  no  other  army  in  the  world's  history  had  ever 
seen,  and  probably  will  never  see  again. 

On  the  26th  of  June,  1865,  I  was  mustered  out 
of  the  service.  I  was  at  last  an  American  citizen. 
For  ten  years  I  had  served  in  the  army  of  my 
adopted  country  ;  I  had  fought  forty-two  battles  in 
defense  of  her  flag;  I  had  been  under  fire  four 
hundred  and  twenty-six  times ;  had  never  seen  a 
sick  day,  except  when  I  was  suffering  from  the 
wound  which  I  received  at  Gettysburg ;  was  never 
in  the  guard  house ;  never  under  arrest ;  never 
reprimanded  but  once,  and  that  was  under  circum- 
stances that  brought  no  discredit  upon  me  ;  had 
drunk  no  liquors  of  any  kind — and  to  this,  more 
than  anything  else,  I  attribute  my  good  fortune. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  115 


CHAPTER  XII. 

Interest  in  the  struggle  for  liberty  in  Mexico— Interview  with  the 
Mexican  minister,  Romero — Commission  to  raise  men  to  go  to  Mexico — 
Take  a  vacation  for  a  couple  of  months — Go  to  New  Orleans— Informed 
by  the  United  States  authorities  that  we  will  be  arrested  if  we  proceed 
to  Mexico — Arrested — Discharged  on  parole  of  honor — Determined  to 
go  at  every  hazard — Finally  enter  Mexico  by  way  of  Sonora. 

I  had  taken  great  interest  in  the  contest  in 
Mexico,  between  there  public  on  one  side  and  the 
so-called  empire  on  the  other.  There  was  a  great 
deal  of  sympathy  throughout  the  nation  for  the 
Mexican  Republic. 

I  do  not  think  it  would  be  out  of  place  here  to 
give  the  causes  which  led  up  to  the  invasion 
of  Mexico  by  France  and  Spain.  The  Mexican 
Republic  had  had  a  stormy  existence.  The 
people  had  suffered  so  long  from  Spain,  and 
when  at  last  liberated,  they  did  not  know  much 
about  self-government,  and  had  to  learn  its 
principles.  People  cannot  be  taught  by  books, 
schools,  or  mere  oral  instruction,  the  principles 
of  self-government.  One  might  just  as  well  learn 
how  to  build  houses  or  ships  or  railroads  by 
text-books.  They  must  have  actual  experience; 
they  must  use  the  hammer,  the  plane,  and  the 
square;  learn  by  mistakes  and  blunders.  Just  so 
with  people  learning  to  govern  themselves.  They 
must  learn  by  experience,  and  in  that  way  alone 


n6  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

can  they  ever  learn  to  govern  themselves  or  their 
fellow  men.  The  Mexican  people  were  going 
through  that  school  of  experience,  and  they  did 
learn,  so  that  to-day  Mexico  is  one  of  the  best  and 
most  wisely  governed  nations  in  the  world.  In 
learning  self-government  the  people  found  one 
great  evil  that  had  to  be  righted.  The  people  in 
Mexico  at  that  time  were  Catholics,  and,  in  fact, 
outside  of  the  foreign  element  in  Mexico,  to-day 
the  people  of  that  country  are  practically  members 
of  the  Catholic  Church. 

The  progressive  element  in  1856  found  that 
not  less  than  two-thirds  of  the  real  estate  belonged 
to  the  Church;  and  there  were  other  abuses  that 
necessarily  arose  where  all  the  people  belonged 
to  one  church.  Therefore,  the  Liberal  party,  under 
the  leadership  of  Juarez,  made  it  an  issue  at  the 
election  to  remedy  these  wrongs;  and  upon  that 
issue  the  Liberal  party  triumphed,  and  proceeded  to 
confiscate  the  entire  property  of  the  Church,  and  to 
abolish  the  monasteries  and  the  convents.  This 
was  a  very  extreme  measure,  but  reforms  often 
go  to  extremes.  This  was  the  situation,  and  is  the 
situation  in  Mexico  to-day,  that  the  Catholic  Church 
can  only  occupy  their  church  buildings  by  per- 
mission of  the  government,  and  there  are  no  con. 
vents  or  monasteries. 

Beaten  at  the  polls,  the  Church  party  then 
appealed  to  the  sword  ;  and  there,  too,  they  were 
beaten. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  117 

At  this  juncture  the  Pope  was  appealed  to,  but 
the  Catholic  powers  were  not  disposed  to  interfere. 
Napoleon  of  France,  though  nominally  a  son  of 
the  Church,  was  not  inclined  to  interfere  until  he 
was  approached  in  another  way.  The  next  effort 
was  made  through  Eugenie,  the  empress.  The 
Pope  then  being  a  temporal  prince,  had  a  repre- 
sentative at  the  French  court.  He,  reaching 
Napoleon  through  Eugenie,  held  out  the  grand  idea 
of  the  establishment  of  an  empire  in  Mexico  as  a 
breakwater  against  the  influence  of  the  great 
American  Republic;  and  Napoleon  was  to  have 
the  glory  of  founding  a  Latin  empire  in  the  West. 
Archduke  Maximilian,  a  very  devout,  pious  prince, 
the  brother  of  the  emperor  of  Austria,  was  to  be 
selected  as  its  emperor ;  and  he  in  turn  was  to 
pledge  that  as  soon  as  the  empire  was  per- 
manently established,  he  would  restore  to  the 
Church  her  property  and  her  ancient  privileges. 

Some  excuse  now  had  to  be  made  for  making 
war  upon  Mexico,  and  one  was  found.  Mexico 
was  owing  to  the  subjects  of  Isabella  in  Spain,  and 
to  Napoleon  in  France,  bonds  of  the  Mexican 
Republic,  which  had  long  since  become  due,  and 
of  which  neither  principal  nor  interest  had  been 
paid.  Therefore,  both  the  French  and  the  Spanish 
governments  at  once  demanded  prompt  liquidation 
of  the  claims. .  The  Mexican  government  replied 
that  it  was  not  within  its  power  to  do  so  at  that 


ri8  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

time ;  that  it  had  not  the  money  in  the  treasury, 
neither  was  it  in  condition  to  float  a  loan. 

War  was  at  once  declared  against  Mexico,  and 
France  and  Spain  sent  a  fleet  with  an  army  to 
enforce  their  demands.  They  landed  at  Vera  Cruz, 
bombarded  and  captured  that  city,  and  began  their 
advance  toward  the  capital.  Then  and  there  an 
agreement  of  some  kind  was  made  by  the  Mexican 
government  with  the  Spanish  government,  and  a 
proposition  was  made  to  the  French  government  of 
a  similar  character,  that  was  eminently  fair,  and  yet 
was  rejected  by  the  French  government.  The 
Spanish  government  now  saw  the  ambitious 
designs  of  the  French  emperor,  and  withdrew. 

The  French  pressed  on  toward  the  city  of 
Mexico,  where,  after  many  hard  battles,  in  which  the 
French  were  sometimes  defeated,  they  at  last  suc- 
ceeded in  capturing  the  city  of  Mexico,  the  capital 
of  the. republic. 

The  French  general  called  together  an  assembly 
of  notables,  as  it  was  termed,  but  it  was  made  up 
almost  exclusively,  if  not  exclusively,  of  the  Con- 
servative, or  Church  party.  They  had  their  instruc- 
tions, and  immediately  made  known  to  the  French 
government,  or  emperor,  that  they  desired  the 
establishment  of  an  empire,  with  Archduke 
Maximilian,  of  Austria,  as  their  emperor.  The 
French  emperor  informed  them  that  he  was  only 
too  delighted  to  carry  out  their  wishes.  Maximilian 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  119 

was  communicated  with,  and  he  promptly  accepted. 
He  and  his  wife,  Carlotta,  landed  at  Vera  Cruz  with 
every  demonstration  of  enthusiasm.  It  was  said 
that  their  whole  journey  from  Vera  Cruz  to  the  city 
of  Mexico  was  one  constant  ovation,  and  with 
magnificent  display  they  were  installed  in  the  halls 
of  the  Montezumas.  But  it  was  noticed  all  the 
while  that  those  who  joined  in  the  ovations  were 
only  the  French  soldiers  and  the  Church  party. 

While  President  Juarez  was  driven  from  the 
largest  cities,  he  retired  into  the  mountain 
regions  in  the  interior,  and  kept  up  a  battle  for 
the  republic  that  challenged  the  admiration  of  the 
whole  world  and  called  forth  the  sympathy  of  the 
lovers  of  liberty  everywhere.  The  empi're  was  at 
once  acknowledged  by  all  the  nations  of  the  world, 
except  the  United  States.  Our  government,  under 
the  leadership  of  the  great  and  enlightened 
Lincoln,  took  the  position  that  no  nation  should  be 
governed  without  the  consent  of  the  governed. 
But  our  nation  at  that  time  was  engaged  in  the 
Civil  War  and  could  not  interfere,  though  a  day  of 
reckoning  came.  Our  government  all  the  while 
recognized  only  the  republic,  and  its  minister, 
Romero.  This  was  the  situation  in  June,  1865. 

Having  determined  that  I  would  go  to  Mexico, 
I  went  to  General  Hancock,  told  him  my  desire, 
and  asked  him  if  he  would  not  give  me  a  letter  of 
introduction  to  the  Mexican  minister,  Romero.  He 


120  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

said  he  would  do  so  gladly.     Hancock  at  this  time 
was  in  command  at  Washington. 

I  obtained  an  interview  with  Romero.  After 
reading  my  letter  of  introduction,  he  received  me 
warmly.  We  had  a  long  talk  together ;  he  told 
me  that  he  would  give  me  any  kind  of  commission 
that  I  wanted,  but  I  was  modest  and  only  asked 
for  one  as  a  colonel.  Romero  said  that  as  for  pay, 
I  would  have  to  take  my  chances.  I  told  him  I 
didn't  want  any  pay;  all  I  wanted  was  to  fight  for 
liberty  in  Mexico. 

I  caused  to  be  put  in  the  paper  this  announce- 
ment: "An  excursion  to  Mexico:  all  who  desire 
to  make  a  visit  to  Mexico  call  at  the  Roanoke 
Hotel,  room  twenty.  No  one,  except  those  who 
have  served  in  the  Union  army  for  three  years, 
need  apply." 

In  less  than  ten  days  I  had  one  hundred  men 
and  over;  good,  true  men,  sober,  thoughtful, 
patriotic,  who  were  willing  to  do  and  dare.  It  was 
arranged  that  we  should  meet  about  the  middle  of 
August  in  New  Orleans.  I  spent  the  time  mean- 
while in  visiting  some  old  army  friends  in  Michigan 
arid  Illinois,  and  arrived  at  New  Orleans  on  the 
14th  of  August.  Some  of  my  men  had  already 
arrived.  Being  young  men,  we  talked  too  much, 
and  the  government  heard  of  it  and  informed  me 
that  such  an  expedition  would  not  be  allowed.  I 
went  right  on  making  preparations  just  the  same. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  121 

On  the  morning  of  our  contemplated  departure  we 
were  all  arrested  by  the  order  of  General  Sheridan, 
and  found  that  we  had  been  arrested  under  the 
Anti-filibustering  Act.  But  they  let  us  go,  on  con- 
dition that  we  would  agree  not  to  undertake  to 
reach  Mexico  until  we  had  been  discharged  from 
our  arrest,  and  that  we  would  report  to  the  provost 
marshal  each  morning.  Thus  for  three  weeks  we 
put  in  our  time  in  that  way;  putting  in  the  day  as 
as  pleasantly  as  possible,  and  in  the  evenings 
going  over  to  the  French  market,  drinking  their 
fine  coffee,  and  flirting  with  the  pretty  black-eyed 
French  girls. 

I  had  sought  the  counsel  of  Mr.  Rosier,  who 
was  the  leading  lawyer  of  New  Orleans.  When  I 
laid  before  him  our  case,  he  said  that  the  law 
against  filibustering  applied  only  to  those  persons 
who  were  contemplating  the  invasion  of  a  nation 
with  whom  this  government  was  at  peace,  with 
hostile  intent,  and  that  in  this  case  our  government 
had  never  recognized  in  any  way  the  government 
of  Maximilian,  and  that  we  were  going  to  fight  him 
—not  to  fight  the  republic,  but  to  defend  it ;  but 
the  great  trouble  at  that  time  was  this:  everything 
was  in  a  chaotic  condition,  the  military  ruled  every- 
thing, and  the  writ  of  habeas  corpus  was  suspended. 
It  was  just  while  Mr.  Rosier  was  considering 
by  what  kind  of  process  he  could  get  us  into  court, 
that  General  Sheridan  arrived  at  New  Orleans  and 


122  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

invited  us  up  to  headquarters  to  see  him.  He 
gave  us  some  good  fatherly  advice.  He  told  us 
that  we  had  violated  no  law,  but  said  we  must  not 
go  to  Mexico.  He  said  Maximilian  could  not  exist 
one  day  in  Mexico  without  the  French  soldiers, 
and  that  our  government  had  determined  that  the 
French  soldiers  must  get  out  of  Mexico,  and 
had  so  informed  the  emperor  of  France;  and 
if  the  French  did  not  go,  that  he,  Sheridan, 
would  be  sent  over  with  an  army  to  drive  them 
out ;  and  then  if  we  wanted  to  fight,  we  could 
fight  all  we  wished  to.  He  said  if  we  would 
give  him  assurance  that  we  would  return  to  our 
several  homes,  he  would  order  our  discharge.  A 
few  of  us  told  him  we  would  consider  the  matter ; 
but  we  were  all  discharged  the  next  morning,  and 
those  who  desired  to  go  home,  said  through  their 
spokesman  that  they  felt  they  ought  to  take  the 
advice  of  General  Sheridan,  that  their  object  in 
going  to  Mexico  had  not  been  one  of  adventure  or 
romance,  but  purely  to  aid  the  Mexican  Republic 
in  the  fight  for  existence,  and  as  that  could  be 
better  accomplished  by  the  power  of  the  United 
States  government,  and  if  our  going  might  compli- 
cate the  negotiation  now  going  on  with  the  French 
government,  they  felt  it  was  their  duty  to  return 
home.  Ten  of  us  considered  it  our  duty  to  go  to 
Mexico ;  so  we  sadly  parted  company. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  123 

Upon  consultation,  our  little  party  deemed  it 
best,  in  order  to  prevent  any  possible  conflict  with 
the  authorities,  to  reach  Mexico  by  going-  west 
through  New  Mexico,  by  the  way  of  Sonora.  It 
was  a  long  journey  to  take.  Three  more  of  the 
company  changed  their  minds  when  we  arrived  at 
Santa  Fe,  and  concluded  to  go  on  to  California. 
We  persevered  on  our  way,  and  arrived  at  the 
camp  of  the  patriots  October  16th,  1865,  just  six- 
teen days  after  the  so-called  Emperor  Maximilian 
had  issued  the  celebrated  order  that  every  man 
found  fighting  for  the  republic,  if  captured,  should 
be  immediately  shot.  The  issuing  of  this  order 
by  Maximilian  cost  him  his  life. 


124  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

Arrival  in  camp  of  patriots — Their  little  army — Different  nationali- 
ties— The  character  of  the  Mexican  greaser — I  trust  them  and  find  them 
reliable — What  we  had  to  eat — The  way  the  contest  was  carried  on — A 
thrilling  adventure. 

I  found  the  little  band  that  I  first  reached  com- 
prised of  about  six  hundred, — that  is,  when  they 
were  all  in  camp, — without  quartermaster,  commis- 
sary, wagons  or  artillery;  armed  with  all  kinds  of 
fire-arms,  of  ancient  and  modern  makes.  The 
little  army  was  composed  of  Americans,  English, 
Germans,  French,  Canadians,  Russians,  Scotch, 
Irish,  Grecians,  and  pure  Mexicans — that  is,  if  there 
is  such  a  thing  as  a  pure  Mexican ;  and  we  were 
of  all  religions  and  no  religion,  and  those  of  no 
religion  were  in  the  decided  majority. 

The  day  ot  my  arrival  I  had  a  long  talk  with  a 
young  Englishman,  who  was  on  the  staff  of  Colonel 
Conteena.  He  told  me  that  the  greasers,  who 
would  form  the  bulk  -of  our  followers — probably 
three-fourths  or  more — were  very  peculiar,  and  I 
would  find  them  unlike  any  other  part  of  the 
human  family;  that  they  were  lazy,  unreliable,  and 
treacherous,  and  that  the  only  way  to  get  along 
with  them  was  to  treat  them  as  though  they  were 
dogs;  that  when  I  ordered  one  to  do  anything, 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  125 

and  he  didn't  start,  to  go  right  at  him  and  kick 
him  until  he  did  start;  when  I  was  out  on  the 
march  with  them,  I  should  never  let  them  get 
behind,  for  they  would  be  liable  to  stab  me  in  the 
back;  and  never,  under  any  circumstances,  to  go 
to  sleep  with  them,  unless  there  was  some  white 
man  on  watch,  as  they  would  be  liable  to  convert 
me  into  a  ghost,  if  I  did. 

This  was  the  gloomy  outlook  that  I  had  before 
me;  these  were  the  men  that  I  had  come  so  many 
thousand  miles  to  fight  for,  and  to  die  with  for  lib- 
erty. I  informed  the  young  officer  that  I  should 
treat  these  men  as  human  beings,  as  men,  and  that 
I  had  no  fears  as  to  the  result.  I  told  him  that 
I  thought  I  saw  where  the  trouble  was ;  that  if 
any  man  should  kick  me,  that  he  would  live  just 
long  enough  for  me  to  get  at  him  to  kill  him ;  that 
I  should  treat  these  men  in  every  respect  as  my 
equals,  should  not  kick  them,  and  when  out  on  a 
march  I  wouldn't  care  whether  they  walked  before 
me  or  behind  me  ;  that  I  should  go  to  sleep  with- 
out leaving  anyone  to  watch  over  me,  and  had  no 
fears  whatsoever  of  the  result.  And  in  the  eighteen 
months  that  I  was  with  these  men,  I  treated  them 
kindly,  trusted  them  implicitly,  ate  with  them, 
slept  with  them,  and  never  received  anything  but 
kindness  and  courtesy  from  them. 

I  found  that  it  was  the  policy  of  the  Mexican 
government  to  avoid  anything  like  a  general 


126  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

engagement  with  the  imperial  troops,  but  to  watch 
for  the  enemy  and  catch  him  every  time  when  he 
was  unguarded,  to  strike  him  at  every  unguarded 
spot,  and  not  permit  a  day  to  pass  that  he  could 
fancy  himself  secure.  This  was  a  wise  policy,  and 
in  this  way  we  could  have  kept  up  the  war  indef- 
initely. We  always  knew  where  the  enemy  was; 
there  was  never  an  hour  in  the  year  but  eyes  were 
upon  the  foe,  ready  to  report  any  mistake. 

For  our  commissary — we  had  none  at  all ;  we 
had  to  live  on  the  country,  literally.  We  learned 
to  eat  everything  that  flew  in  the  air  or  crept 
upon  the  earth.  Mingling  with  those  people  who 
were  composed  of  all  bloods,  caused  me  to  lose  all 
my  race  prejudice;  and  being  compelled  to  eat 
everything  made  me  lose  all  my  prejudice  in 
regard  to  foods.  I  got  so  that  I  would  eat  a 
rattlesnake  as  quick  as  I  would  a  bluefish  or  a 
chicken. 

During  the  eighteen  months  that  I  served  in 
the  Mexican  army,  I  had  many  adventures,  and 
desperate  ones,  too;  but  the  size  of  this  volume  will 
not  permit  me  to  go  into  the  history  of  all  of  these. 
As  no  prisoners  were  taken  on  either  side,  we 
always  went  out  to  fight  the  foe  with  our  lives  in  our 
hands. 

Upon  one  occasion,  word  was  brought  to  us 
that  a  small  French  force  of  fifteen  or  twenty  men 
had  taken  possession  of  a  sugar-ranch  down  in  the 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  127 

valley,  for  the  purpose  of  confiscating  the  sugar 
and  sirups  belonging  to  the  old  planter,  who  was 
a  good,  true  republican.  Their  location  had  been 
described  to  us,  and  we  knew  just  where  to  strike 
them ;  so  I  took  twenty-five  men  and  started  out  to 
sweep  them  off  the  face  of  the  earth.  I  think  most 
everybody  has  heard  the  old  adage  of  the  one  who 
went  out  for  wool  and  came  home  shorn.  Well,  it 
was  fully  exemplified  in  our  case. 

A  path  through  the  thicket  had  been  described 
to  us,  by  which  we  could  easily  approach  the 
enemy  unobserved.  There  was  no  moon  that 
night,  but  plenty  of  beautiful  stars,  such  as  they 
have  in  that  glorious  country.  A.S  we  approached 
the  enemy,  we  saw  by  their  light  where  the  men 
had  lain  themselves  down  on  their  blankets. 
They  had  evidently  made  a  fire  and  had  thrown 
some  green  cane  upon  it  to  make  a  smudge  to 
keep  off  the  mosquitoes.  The  mosquito  is  quite  an 
animal  in  that  country.  It  was  a  volume  of  smoke 
that  could  not  be  perceived  in  the  dark  that  led  us 
into  our  fatal  mistake.  I  had  directed  my  men  to 
creep  as  close  to  the  enemy  as  possible,  and  when 
I  gave  the  signal,  to  aim  and  fire.  They  did  so: 
but,  Jerusalem!  instead  of  the  little  party  that  we 
annihilated  on  our  first  fire,  we  found  the  woods 
were  full  of  them ;  they  rose  up  everywhere. 
Finding  that  if  we  remained,  it  meant  massacre,  I 
ordered  my  men  to  escape  the  best  they  could  to 


128  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

the  thickets.  The  French  were  pouring  their  fire 
in  upon  us,  and  I  saw  the  men  falling  everywhere. 
In  my  flight  I  ran  behind  a  cane  factory  that  had 
been  used  quite  recently,  as  there  was  a  large 
amount  of  the  debris  of  the  cane  still  at  the  mill, 
and  I  found  it  right  in  front  of  me.  In  my  attempt 
to  go  over  it — for  there  was  no  way  to  go  around 
it  without  running  into  the  French — I  stumbled 
and  fell,  and  the  ground  cane  fell  over  me  in  large 
abundance,  covering  me  completely  with  per- 
haps two  or  three  feet  of  the  debris.  I  concluded 
to  lie  there.  The  French  soldiers  went  over  me — 
I  thought  about  a  thousand  of  them,  but  probably 
fifty  was  nearer  the  number. 

After  they  had  passed  I  began  to  reflect  upon 
my  situation.  I  came  to  the  conclusion  it  would 
be  better  to  lie  there  until  the  French  returned, 
and  then,  if  possible,  creep  out  and  get  to  the 
thicket.  Soon  they  returned,  very  much  excited 
and  noisy.  I  knew  that  I  must  get  out  o'f  there  as 
soon  as  possible,  as  daylight  would  soon  come, 
and  that  would  be  fatal.  I  considered  the  ques- 
tion whether  I  would  take  my  carbine,  or  blunder- 
buss, with  me.  I  dare  not  undertake  to  find  the 
path  through  the  thicket  through  which  I  had 
come,  as  the  entrance,  I  feared,  lay  in  the  hands 
of  the  enemy ;  and  so  I  must  get  into  the  thicket 
at  the  nearest  point  and  take  my  chances,  and  be 
guided  back  to  camp  by  the  stars.  I  cautiously 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  129 

crawled  out  from  my  hiding  place  into  the 
opening ;  and  was  glad  enough  to  get  into  the 
opening,  too,  for  I  knew  that  no  place  .anywhere 
could  be  hotter  than  my  hiding  place  had  been. 
It  had  been,  indeed,  a  veritable  Turkish  bath. 
The  distance  to  the  thicket  was  probably  sixty 
rods.  I  concluded  not  to  attempt  to  take  my  car- 
bine with  me,  but  to  rely  upon  my  revolver  for  any 
emergency.  Stealthily  on  my  hands  and  knees  I 
crawled  to  the  thicket,  and  when  I  got  into  it  I 
congratulated  myself;  but  a  thicket  in  that  country 
is  a  thicket.  One  who  has  never  seen  the 
"shrambles"  of  Mexico  cannot  appreciate  any- 
thing about  their  density-;  and  then  they  are  thorny, 
and  there  is  among  them  a  large  population  of 
insects  to  the  square  foot.  But,  guided  by  the  stars, 
I  slowly  and  painfully  crawled  along,  and  finally 
succeeded  in  getting  into  camp  just  as  daylight 
had  begun  to  dawn. 

When  I  arrived  my  body  was  in  the  condition 
of  our  first  parents  in  the  garden  of  Eden,  but 
bleeding  all  over,  and  without  even  an  apron  of  fig 
leaves.  I  was  the  only  one  of  my  company  that 
ever  returned.  At  once  a  consultation  was  called, 
and  we  decided  to  move,  as  a  precaution  against 
being  pursued  by  the  French.  We  learned  after- 
ward that  after  dark  a  whole  regiment  of  French 
soldiers,  some  five  or  six  hundred  men,  had 
arrived  at  the  plantation;  and  this  was  the  force  our 
little  squad  had  got  into. 


130  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

The  meeting  with  General  Escobedo — Become  a  member  of  his 
staff— The  French  rapidly  leaving  the  country — News  arrives  that  the 
last  detachment  of  French  has  left,  and  that  Maximilian  has  left  the  city 
of  Mexico  and  gone  out  to  Queretaro,  where  he  proposes  to  make  his 
last  stand — His  capture,  trial,  death — My  impressions  of  the  Mexican 
leaders  and  their  corps. 

In  January,  1867,  General  Escobedo  arrived 
and  took  command  of  our  force.  I  was  introduced 
to  him  shortly  after  his  arrival,  and  found  him  an 
elegant  gentleman,  a  fine  soldier,  and  of  a  chival- 
rous nature.  For  some  reason  he  took  quite  a 
fancy  to  me  from  the  first,  and  shortly  afterward  I 
became  a  member  of  his  staff.  A  little  incident 
occurred  about  this  time  that  shows  the  simple, 
primitive  character  of  the  Mexican. 

There  was  a  lieutenant  in  our  command  whom 
I  had  known  ever  since  joining  the  Mexican  army. 
In  our  march  we  had  come  within  a  short  distance 
of  his  home.  His  handsome  daughter,  a  girl  about 
fourteen,  came  to  camp  with  her  mother  to  see  her 
father.  She  was  one  of  the  most  beautiful  girls  I 
ever  saw,  and  in  that  warm  country  girls  become 
young  ladies  very  early.  I  have  seen  mothers 
there  twelve  years  old.  I  was  introduced  to  his 
wife  and  daughter,  and  took  a  meal  with  them. 
They  belonged  to  what  we  would  call  the  lower 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  131 

order  of  the  Mexicans,  and  yet  among-  this  class 
sometimes  you  meet  magnificent  specimens  of 
both  men  and  women. 

After  his  family  had  left,  I  complimented  him 
upon  his  beautiful  daughter,  just  as  I  would  a  happy 
father  in  this  country,  who  had  such  a  treasure.  I 
thought  nothing  more  of  it,  but  he  seemed  to  have 
misjudged  me.  He  came  to  me  some  few  days 
afterward  and  wished  to  borrow  some  money  of  me. 
I  had  brought  with  me  into  the  Mexican  service 
about  two  hundred  dollars  in  gold.  There  was  no 
chance  to  spend  any  of  it,  so  I  had  most  of  it  still 
on  hand.  I  loaned  him  a  ten-dollar  gold  piece, 
the  amount  he  had  asked  for,  yet  he  continued 
waiting  around.  Finally,  he  came  to  business  by 
offering  me  the  hand  of  his  beautiful  daughter.  It 
seems  that  is  a  custom  in  that  country.  I  was  quite 
taken  by  surprise,  but  the  Mexicans  are"  so  sensi- 
tive that  one  has  to  approach  them  very  carefully. 
Nothing  was  further  from  my  thoughts,  then,  than 
becoming  a  benedict,  and  I  could  not  think,  of 
marrying  a  Mexican  lady,  however  beautiful,  as  the 
ways  and  natures  of  Mexicans  were  entirely  foreign 
to  my  own,  and  so  I  must  decline  the  offer.  •! 
thanked  him  for  the  high  compliment  he  had  paid 
me  in  offering  me  the  hand  of  his  beautiful  daugh- 
ter, but  reminded  him  that  we  were  in  an  uncertain 
contest  and  our  lives  were  not  promised  us  for  a  sin- 
gle day.  He  frankly  told  me  that  would  be  no 


i32  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

great  misfortune  to  her,  as  she  could  very  readily 
get  another  husband.  With  this  I  coincided,  but 
urged  other  reasons,  and  among  them,  that  I  was 
a  heretic  in  religion,  and  that  his  beautiful  daughter 
could  ne'ver  be  happy  as  the  wife  of  a  heretic.  I 
knew  he  was  a  very  devout  Catholic,  and  that  last 
objection  seemed  to  be  satisfactory,  for  I  saw  him 
visibly  shiver  as  I  mentioned  it.  He  then  departed, 
and  I  congratulated  myself  on  my  diplomacy. 

We  were  now  ordered  to  Queretaro,  where  we 
arrived  May  14th.  There  I  met  for  the  first  time 
President  Juarez,  and  General  Diaz,  now  President 
of  Mexico,  and  other  leaders  of  the  republican 
forces.  I  saw  again  a  regular  army — one  of  forty 
thousand  men — composed  of  artillery,  cavalry  and 
infantry.  Plans  were  made  at  once  to  attack.  I 
had  been  on  Escobedo's  staff,  but  now  I  was  to 
lead  a  brigade  in  the  assault.  We  were  lying 
upon  our  faces  waiting  for  the  first  appearance  of 
daylight  to  attack.  We  were  to  attack  them  on 
every  side;  but  Maximilian  had  been  sold  out  by 
Lopez,  one  of  his  Mexican  generals,  and  I  was 
told  about  two  o'clock  that  there  would  be  no  bat- 
tte.  General  Escobedo  entered  the  city,  relieved 
the  Imperial  guards  at  every  point — all  of  this 
happening  while  Maximilian  was  sound  asleep. 
He  only  awoke  to  find  himself  a  prisoner  of  war. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  133 


CHAPTER  XV. 

The  summoning  of  a  military  commission  to  try  Maximilian — 
Universal  demand  for  his  death — Found  guilty  and  sentenced  to  death, 
which  was  to  take  place  within  five  days  of  his  sentence — The  trial  of 
Generals  Miramon  and  Mejia — Efforts  made  by  the  different  European 
nations  and  the  United  States  government  to  save  Maximilian — The 
refusal — His  death — Reflections. 

I  did  not  see  Maximilian  until  the  second  day 
after  his  capture,  when  I  had  charge  of  him  for  a 
day.  I  do  not  think  he  had  the  slightest  idea  of 
his  impending  doom.  I  am  told  that  when  he  was 
informed  he  was  about  to  be  tried,  he  seemed  very 
much  surprised,  and  asked  on  what  charge.  He 
was  told  the  charges  were  being  formulated,  and 
they  would  be  submitted  to  him  soon.  He  asked 
if  he  could  have  counsel,  and  was  informed  he 
could  have  any  one  whom  he  might  choose.  He 
chose  an-  American,  a  man  by  the  name  of  Hall, 
from  the  city  oi  Mexico.  Mr.  Hall  was  sent  for  at 
once,  and  the  trial  proceeded. 

The  two  principal  charges  against  him  were : 
first,  issuing  his  celebrated  order  executing  all  who 
were  found  fighting  to  sustain  the  republic;  second, 
of  being  a  filibuster,  as  a  subject  of  Francis  Joseph 
of  Austria,  making  war  upon  a  nation  with  whom 
Austria  was  at  peace.  He  was  found  guilty,  and 
at  once  sentenced  to  be  shot  within  five  days  of 
the  time  of  the  sentence.  Upon  this  being  made 


134  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

known  to  him,  he  asked  that  he  might  have  proper 
time  to  prepare  for  so  important  an  event.  This 
was  granted  him,  and  the  19th  of  June  was  fixed 
as  the  day  of  his  execution.  Generals  Mejia 
and  Miramon  were  tried  upon  the  charge  of  being 
traitors  to  their  country,  and  also  sentenced  to  be 
shot,  the  date  of  their  execution  being  fixed  the 
same  day  as  that  of  the  archduke. 

Great  efforts  were  at  once  put  forth  by  all  of 
the  European  powers  to  save  Maximilian's  life. 
They  remonstrated,  threatened,  protested,  and 
entreated.  Finally,  the  Emperor  of  Austria,  his 
brother,  asked  the  United  States  government  to 
use  its  good  office  and  influence  to  save  the 
doomed  man,  and  this  was  done. 

I  am  sure  that  President  Juarez  disliked 
exceedingly  to  put  Maximilian  to  death,  and 
above  all  would  have  liked  to  grant  the  request  of 
the  United  States,  to  which  country  he  felt  every 
sense  of  gratitude  for  the  part  our  government  had 
taken  in  compelling  the  French  to  evacuate 
Mexico :  but  that  terribly  cruel  order  Maximilian 
had  issued,  by  which  so  many  noble  men  had  per- 
ished, caused  practically  all  of  Mexico  to  demand 
his  death;  and  however  much  President  Juarez 
was  loved  and  adored,  he  could  not  have  prevented 
the  execution.  I  am  sorry  to  say  that  I  felt  just 
that  way  myself — that  he  had  to  die. 

One  day  when  I  had  charge  of  hint,   I  said  to 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  135 

him:  "  Your  Majesty  remembers,  no  doubt,  when 
you  were  the  viceroy  of  Italy,  that  you  ordered  the 
expulsion  from  all  of  your  domain,  of  those  political 
refugees  who  had  taken  part  in  the  demonstration 
of  honor  to  Captain  Ingraham,  of  the  United 
States  navy." 

He  said,  "Yes,"  without  raising  his  head. 

I  said,  "Your  Majesty,  I  was  one  of  those  refu- 
gees." 

Now  for  the  first  time  he  raised  his  eyes,  and 
said:  "That  is  impossible,  as  that  was  many  years 
ago,  and  you  are  a  very  young  man." 

I  said,  "  Yes,  that  was  sixteen  years  ago,  and  I 
was  but  a  very  small  boy,  but  your  order  excluded 
me." 

"Well,  time  rounds  up  all  things,"  was  the 
reply. 

Among  those  who  were  taken  prisoners  at  the 
time  with  Maximilian,  was  Prince  Salm  Salm.  The 
prince  had  been  a  brave  soldier  in  the  Union  army. 
The  United  States  government  asked  that  he 
might  be  liberated,  and  he  was.  His  wife  was  an 
American  lady,  and  a  very  beautiful  woman;  a 
woman  of  wonderful  power  and  fascination.  She 
was  so  charming  that  when  she  went  through  the 
hospitals  in  Washington,  the  boys  used  to  say  that 
if  she  would  visit  the  hospitals  every  day,  they 
could  discharge  their  doctors,  as  she  would  do 
more  to  restore  them  to  health  by  her  charming 


i36  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

smiles  and  manners  than    all    of  the  doctors  and 
their  medicine. 

Upon  her  arrival  in  Queretaro,  we  found  out 
that  she  began  at  once  to  use  her  blandishments 
and  fascinations  to  affect  an  escape  for  Maximilian. 
One  Mexican  officer  who  was  to  have  charge  of 
him  one  day,  was  offered  by  the  princess  three 
hundred  thousand  dollars  in  gold.  He  was  a  man 
who  did  not  possess  a  dollar  in  the  world,  but  such 
was  his  patriotism,  and  the  universal  hatred  which 
was  borne  toward  Maximilian,  that  he  spurned  the 
offer.  After  the  development  of  this  attempt  to 
bribe,  the  charming  princess  was  informed  that 
there  was  a  good  deal  of  malaria  in  Queretaro, 
and  for  the  good  of  her  health  she  had  better 
return  to  the  city  of  Mexico.  She  went  at  once. 

The  last  three  or  four  days  of  Maximilian's  Hie 
were  spent  almost  wholly  with  the  priest.  On 
the  morning  of  the  execution,  June  19th,  1867, — a 
beautiful,  bright  morning, — he  was  taken  out  to 
the  old  convent  where  he  was  captured,  and  where 
he  had  lived  during  the  time  he  was  in  our  custody, 
and  there  placed  in  an  ambulance,  and  driven  out- 
side of  the  walls  of  the  city,  near  an  old  fortress, 
where  the  execution  took  place. 

Arriving  on  the  ground,  the  troops  were  formed 
in  line.  The  doomed  men  were  placed  in  position, 
Maximilian  standing  on  the  right  of  the  firing 
party.  The  firing  party  consisted  of  thirty-six 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  137 

men,  formed  into  two  companies,  six  men  to  each 
one  of  the  doomed  men.  Each  of  the  six  men 
were  furnished  with  loaded  rifles,  except  one  in 
each  of  the  six,  who  had  a  blank  cartridge.  There 
had  been  a  sharp  rivalry  for  the  honor  of  belong- 
ing to  the  firing  party.  I  was  selected  to  com- 
mand the  reserve  firing  party.  When  everything 
was  ready,  each  one  gf  the  men  was  asked  if  he 
had  anything  to  say. 

Maximilian,  speaking  in  Spanish,  said  in  sub- 
stance, that  he  loved  Mexico  and  desired  its  wel- 
fare; and  if  the  shedding  of  his  blood  would  be  the 
means  of  bringing  peace  and  happiness  to  the  dis- 
tracted country,  he  was  willing  to  die.  Generals 
Mejia  and  Miramon  said  a  few  words  that  I  do  not 
now  remember,  closing  by  saying:  "Long  live 
Mexico."  Maximilian  asked  that  the  commander 
of  the  firing  party  might  advance  to  him,  when  he 
delivered  to  that  officer  six  pieces  of  gold,  which  is 
equivalent  to  about  ten  dollars  of  our  money.  He 
ordered  a  piece  of  gold  to  be  delivered  to  each  one 
of  the  firing  party,  directing  them  to  take  good  aim. 

The  firing  party  was  now  ordered  to  advance, 
make  ready — aim — fire.  The  two  generals  fell  dead, 
apparently  never  moving  after  they  struck  the 
ground.  Strange  as  it  may  seem,  Maximilian  fell 
mortally  wounded  only,  exclaiming  as  he  fell:  "Oh! 
my  God!  my  God!  "  At  once  the  commander  of 
the  reserve  firing  party  ordered  one  of  the  men 


138  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

from  his  own  party  to  advance,  and  drawing  his 
own  revolver,  ordered  him  to  put  it  to  the  ear  of 
the  archduke  and  fire.  He  did  so,  and  the  career 
of  the  archduke  was  ended.  I  ordered  him  to  use 
my  revolver  for  this  reason,  that  I  did  not  know 
who  of  the  firing  party  had  the  blank  cartridge, 
and  I  did  not  wish  any  more  mishaps,  and  thus  add 
to  the  misery  of  the  unfortunate  man.  Thus 
ended  the  career  of  the  so-called  emperor.  At  the 
time  of  his  death  he  lacked  about  a  month  of  being 
thirty-five  years  of  age. 

It  seems  very  strange  now  that  Emperor 
Napoleon  should  have  chosen  such  a  weak  man  for 
such  a  trying  place.  A  more  unfortunate  selection 
could  not  have  been  made.  Maximilian  was  a  man 
of  exceedingly  small  caliber,  but  probably  as  good 
as  the  average  monarch  of  Europe.  He  would 
have  done  well  enough  to  have  acted  as  a  mere 
figurehead,  as  most  of  the  monarchs  of  Europe  are 
— indeed,  I  think  he  would  have  been  eminently 
successful  in  that  role.  Unlike  most  of  the  mon- 
archs of  Europe  of  to-day  and  of  the  past,  he  was  a 
man  of  sound  morals.  He  was  a  very  handsome 
man — I  should  say  at  least  six  feet  high,  a  blonde, 
and  rather  pleasing  in  his  manners.  He  was  well 
calculated  for  the  ballroom  and  the  palace.  I 
believe  that  a  strong,  wise,  discree-t  man  could 
have  succeeded  in  the  role  that  he  attempted  to 
play  in  Mexico;  but  it  required  all  of  these  qualities, 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  139 

and  he  possessed  none  of  them.  He  treated  all  of 
his  Mexican  chieftains  with  contempt,  which  is  the 
natural  feeling  that  everyone  has  for  a  traitor.  It 
is  said  he  took  up  the  precious  time  which  he 
should  have  used  in  maturing  measures  for  the 
consolidation  of  his  empire,  in  settling  questions  of 
etiquette  about  his  court. 

His  wife,  Carlotta,  who  was  the  daughter  of 
the  King  of  the  Netherlands,  was  a  bright,  able, 
and  beautiful  woman,  liberal  in  her  views,  and 
broad  in  her  ideas  of  statecraft.  Had  she  been 
the  ruler,  I  believe  she  would  have  succeeded. 

The  conduct  of  Maximilian  while  waiting  for 
execution  in  the  last  month  of  his  life,  was  becom- 
ing. This  was  surprising  to  those  who  knew  him, 
but  I  think  I  can  understand  it.  He  was  a  deeply 
religious  man,  and  had  no  doubt  in  his  mind  but 
when  he  died  his  soul  would  immediately  pass  into 
the  abode  of  the  blest,  and  he  would  at  once  join 
his  Carlotta — for  at  the  -time  of  his  death  he  sup- 
posed that  she  was  dead,  as  it  was  so  represented 
to  him;  and  then  he  was  aware  of  the  fact  that  he 
belonged  to  one  of  the  most  ancient  royal  houses 
of  Europe,  and  that  the  manner  of  his  tragic  death 
would  be  such  that  the  whole  world  in  all  ages  to 
come  would  read  of  his  every  act,  word,  and  move- 
ment during  that  last  eventful  month  of  his  life. 

The  world  seems  to  think,  or  rather,  I  might 
say  the  impression  is  general,  that  Carlotta  went 


140  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

crazy  on  account  of  the  tragic  death  of  her  hus- 
band. This  is  a  mistake;  she  had  gone  mad  a 
year  previous  to  his  death.  After  the  French 
agreed  to  leave  Mexico,  Carlotta  returned  to 
Europe  and  went  from  court  to  court  begging  help 
to  sustain  Maximilian,  but  was  rebuffed  every- 
where; and  it  was  too  much  for  her  proud,  sensi- 
tive spirit,  and  she  went  mad,  and  has  remained  so 
even  unto  this  day. 

There  are  some  who  would  try  to  apologize 
for  Maximilian  and  save  him  from  the  discredit  of 
that  awful,  blood-thirsty  and  cruel  order,  trying  to 
do  so  by  throwing  the  blame  on  others — Mejia, 
Miramon,  and  Bazaine ;  but  the  whole  thing  is 
characteristic  of  the  Austrian  reigning  house.  It 
has  been  said  that  he  was  a  weak  man,  and  there- 
fore could  not  do  such  a  bloody  thing;  but  weak 
men  more  often  than  strong  ones  do  cruel  things. 
Nero  was  not  a  strong  man,  neither  was  Mary  of 
England  a  strong  woman. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  141 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

My  impressions  of  President  Juarez,  Escobedo,  and  Diaz. 

The  next  day  after  the  execution  of  Maximilian 
I  met  President  Juarez  personally  for  the  first  time. 
He  grave  an  audience  to  the  foreign  officers  who 
had  served  in  behalf  of  the  republic.  We  had  a 
long  talk  with  him.  In  our  group  there  were 
Americans,  English,  Germans,  French,  and  Italians. 
All  of  these  different  nationalties  had  been  drawn 
to  Mexico  by  a  love  of  adventure  and  to  serve 
the  cause  of  liberty.  The  President  won  our 
hearts  at  once.  He  warmly  thanked  us  for  our 
services  in  behalf  of  Mexico.  He  addressed  us  in 
the  Spanish  language,  or  rather  the  Mexican  dia- 
lect, as  we  could  all  understand  him  in  that.  He 
said  it  was  useless  for  him  to  express  his  sense  of 
gratitude  to  us,  as  he  had  not  words  and  could  not 
find  words  to  express  it;  and  he  said  all  that 
Mexico  could  do  for  us  would  never  be  half 
enough.  He  said  that  for  Mexicans  to  fight  for 
Mexico  was  natural;  but  for  foreigners  who  had  no 
other  ties  except  the  love  of  liberty  and  a  desire  to 
assist  a  brave  'people  who  were  struggling  against 
fearful  odds,  to  make  every  sacrifice  and  to  suffer 
every  privation  for  the  republic,  was  a  spirit  so 
noble  that  it  could  not  be  put  into  language. 


142  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

For  some  reason  or  other  my  associates  chose 
me  as  their  spokesman,  although  I  was  the 
youngest  of  the  group,  lacking  at  that  time  a  few 
months  of  being  twenty-five.  I  assured  him  in 
behalf  of  my  associates  that  what  we  had  done, 
we  had  done  freely ;  that  we  desired  neither  gold 
nor  lands ;  that  we  had  been  amply  repaid  in  see- 
ing the  cause  for  which  we  had  served  triumphant, 
and  Mexico  free;  and  we  felt  assured  that  Mexico 
had  taught  the  world  a  good  lesson,  and  that 
hereafter  ambitious  adventurers  would  see  in  the 
fate  of  Maximilian  that  Mexico  was  not  a  good 
country  for  them  to  trouble. 

As  we  shook  him  by  the  hand  at  the  close  of 
our  interview,  he  said  he  hoped  that  we  would  all 
conclude  to  spend  the  rest  of  our  lives  in  a  land  in 
defense  of  whose  liberties  we  had  fought  so  nobly. 

I  saw  him  quite  a  number  of  times  afterward, 
while  in  Mexico,  and  enjoyed  several  chats  with 
him.  In  one  of  the  visits  I  had  with  him,  he  gave 
me  the  full  history  of  the  causes  which  led  up  to 
the  invasion  of  Mexico,  which  I  have  given  in 
a  former  chapter,  and  which  Minister  Romero  had 
given  me  in  my  interview  with  him  in  Washington. 

I  regard  President  Juarez  as  one  of  the  noblest 
characters  that  we  have  any  record  of  in  history. 
He  was  a.  full-blooded  Indian,  yet  he  had  risen 
up  through  every  obstacle,  until  he  reached  the 
highest  position  in  the  gift  of  his  nation.  On  com- 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  143 

ing  to  public  life,  he  saw  that  the  great  incubus 
upon  that  republic  was  the  clergy;  that  they  owned 
more  than  two-thirds  of  the  real  estate  of  Mexico, 
that  they  were  thoroughly  monarchical  in  their 
principles,  and  that  nothing  would  satisfy  them  but 
monarchy  ;  and  that,  as  far  as  the  education  of  the 
masses  was  concerned,  they  were  bitterly  opposed 
to  it.  So  it  was  their  aim  to  keep  up  such  a 
tumult,  insurrection,  rebellion,  that  the  people  at 
last,  weary  from  the  struggle,  would  willingly  yield 
themselves  to  some  despot.  Appreciating  the  true 
situation  of  his  country,  he  was  determined  to 
inaugurate  and  lead  a  movement  that  should  give 
both  peace  and  liberty  to  his  people;  and  to  do  this 
he  was  called  upon  to  make  a  great  sacrifice  of  his 
feelings.  He  was  a  Catholic;  he  knew  practically 
nothing  of  any  other  kind  of  religion;  an  Indian 
Catholic  at  that,  knowing  nothing  but  submission 
to  the  priesthood.  He  wished  to  live  and  die  in 
communion  with  the  church.  He  saw  before  him 
excommunication,  ostracism,  and  possibly  death  in 
disgrace;  but,  nevertheless,  he  was  determined  to 
strike  the  blow.  He  knew,  too,  what  a  people  he 
had  to  contend  with ;  a  people  that  were  ignorant, 
as  far  as  the  mass  was  concerned  ;  a  people  that 
were  superstitious,  and  thoroughly  devoted  to  the 
clergy  :  but  he  was  determined  to  make  the  trial. 
He  gathered  about  him  some  of  the  most  progres- 
sive men  of  the  republic,  and  laid  his  plans  before 


144  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

them.  They  at  once  joined  him  with  one  accord 
in  the  movement.  Then  began  that  tremenduous 
struggle  that  ended  only  on  the  19th  of  June,  1867, 
just  ten  years  from  the  time  of  his  inauguration. 
His  theory  as  to  the  real  cause  of  the  trouble  in 
Mexico  has  proven  to  be  correct ;  for  though  thirty- 
two  years  and  more  have  passed  since  the  execu- 
tion of  Maximilian,  yet  in  all  that  time  there  has 
not  been  enough  blood  shed  in  insurrections  to 
equal  what  has  been  spilled  in  some  of  our  bloody 
strikes  and  riots.  He  was  thoroughly  humane  in 
his  feelings,  and  was  very  much  opposed  to  blood- 
shed. So  much  was  he  opposed  to  it,  that,  as  much 
trouble  as  Maximilian  had  given  his  country,  and 
notwithstanding  the  cruel  decree  of  the  emperor, 
by  which  so  many  of  Mexico's  noble  sons  had  been 
cruelly  butchered  while  prisoners  of  war,  if  Juarez 
had  had  his  own  way  he  would  not  have  executed 
him.  And  he  told  me  that  he  regretted  Mejia's 
and  Miramon's  executions,  and  that  if  he  had  had 
it  in  his  power,  he  would  have  sent  them  out  of  the 
country  instead;  and  yet  two  worse  traitors  could 
not  be  imagined.  Mejia  had  been  a  soldier  in  the 
Mexican  army;  Miramon  had  been  not  only  a 
general,  but  a  president  of  the  republic  ;  and  yet 
they  had  joined  themselves  together  to  slaughter 
their  own  countrymen  and  to  perpetuate  the  reign 
of  a  foreign  prince. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  145 

As  soon  as  the  republic  was  thoroughly  estab- 
lished, Juarez  went  to  work  to  enlighten  it.  He 
reduced  the  army  to  a  minimum,  established 
schools  free  from  clerical  influences,  and  secured 
the  very  best  of  teachers.  And  the  best  paid 
officials  in  Mexico  to-day  are  her  school-teachers ; 
and  under  the  operation  of  her  free-school  system 
the  Republic  of  Mexico  has  in  a  single  generation 
raised  the  standard  of  popular  intelligence  till  it 
will  compare  favorably  with  that  of  our  own  coun- 
try. He  invited  capital  to  Mexico,  promising  it 
protection;  encouraged  the  construction  of  rail- 
roads and  the  establishing  of  manufactures  ;  and 
he  capped  the  climax  of  his  magnificent  career  by 
establishing  perfect  religious  liberty.  He  died  in 
1872,  of  apoplexy.  He  was  the  real  founder  of  the 
Mexican  Republic.  He  was  Mexico's  greatest 
general,  greatest  statesman,  purest  patriot. 

I  did  not  see  much  of  Diaz.  •  My  opinion  of 
him  at  that  time  was  not  favorable,  and  his  con- 
duct afterward  in  opposing  Juarez  rather  confirmed 
that  unfavorable  opinion;  but  after  he  became 
President  he  carried  out  the  enlightened  views  of 
Juarez,  and  has  given  to  Mexico  a  splendid 
government. 

General  Escobedo  I  knew  well.  I  found  him 
an  elegant  gentleman,  sincere  and  patriotic.  He 
was  a  splendid  soldier;  tall,  graceful  in  carriage, 
gracious  to  all  with  whom  he  came  in  contact, 


146  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

brave  in  battle,  and  chivalrous.  He  was  my  ideal 
of  a  perfect  soldier. 

The  general  impression  in  this  country  is  that 
the  Mexican  people  are  treacherous,  arid  when 
their  passion  is  aroused,  cruel.  I  never  found  them 
so;  I  found  them  frank,  cordial,  and  polite.  Like 
the  people  of  all  warm  or  hot  climates,  if  they  are 
deeply  wronged,  their  revenge  is  terrible.  No 
doubt  there  are  treacherous  persons  amongst  them, 
but  what  nation  of  people  has  not  that  class?  I 
think  I  have  found  a  few  outside  of  the  Mexicans 
myself. 

As  an  illustration  of  their  way  of  revenge, — 
yet  I  do  not  know  whether  I  should  say  tJieir 
way,  for  I  have  known  of  similar  cases  in  our 
Northern  country, — while  I  was  in  the  city  of 
Mexico,  a  couple  of  months  after  the  war  was  over, 
I  had  been  out  one  night  calling  on  a  friend. 
Returning  about  midnight,  I  saw  standing  in  the 
shadow  of  a  large  tree  a  man  who  was  apparently 
waiting  for  someone.  I  had  a  small  one-barrel 
pistol  in  a  side  pocket;  I  put  my  hand  upon  it. 
While  I  had  wronged  no  man  or  person  in  Mexico, 
yet  I  thought  sometimes  mistakes  were  made,  so 
it  was  better  to  be  prepared.  When  I  arrived 
opposite  him  he  leaped  at  me  like  a  tiger.  I 
quickly  stepped  aside,  just  in  time  to  avoid  him, 
and  stuck  my  revolver  in  his  face,  when  the  beau- 
tiful moonlight  fell  on  the  faces  of  both  of  us.  I 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  147 

shall  never  forget,  if  I  should  live  a  thousand  years, 
the  expression  of  hatred  and  the  desire  for  revenge 
that  I  saw  on  that  man's  countenance;  and  then 
his  surprise  when  he  saw  my  face.  He  dropped 
his  knife  immediately,  begged  my  pardon  a  thou- 
sand times,  it  seemed,  which  I  readily  granted. 
He  gave  me  his  card,  strange  as  it  may  seem,  and 
asked  me  to  call  and  see  him.  I  assured  him  if  I 
remained  in  the  city  long  enough  I  would  do  so, 
but  other  engagements  during  my  few  remaining 
days  in  the  city  prevented  me  from  calling.  It 
was  clearly  a  case  of  mistaken  identity,  and  might 
have  been  a  costly  one  to  me. 

Shortly  before  I  left  Mexico  the  Congress  of 
Mexico  conferred  upon  all  of  those  who  had  come 
from  other  lands  to  fight  for  the  cause  of  liberty 
without  any  financial  consideration,  the  rights  of 
citizenship,  and  ten  thousand  acres  of  land  upon 
any  unoccupied  domain  of  Mexico.  I  have  never 
called  for  my  land. 

There  is  something  very  remarkable  about  this 
invasion  of  Mexico  by  France  and  Spain  that  I  have 
never  seen  mentioned  by  any  writer:  it  is  the  terri- 
ble fatality  or  misfortune  that  has  befallen  all  the 
individuals  who  had  any  connection  with  it. 

The  two  Mexican  generals  and  leaders,  Gen- 
eral Mejia  and  ex-President  Miramon,  were  both 
declared  to  be  traitors  by  a  jury  of  their  country- 
men, and  sentenced  to  death. 


148  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

Pope  Pius  IX,  who  influenced  France  and  Spain 
to  make  war  upon  Mexico,  lost  his  power  as  a 
temporal  prince,  and  his  capital,  Rome,  and  shut 
himself  up  in  the  Vatican,  declaring  himself  to  be 
a  prisoner  of  the  King  of  Italy,  and  never  left  the 
Vatican  alive  again.  His  minister  or  delegate,  as 
the  title  is,  afterward  fell  into  disgrace  and  com- 
mitted suicide. 

Eugenie,  the  empress  of  France,  who  intrigued 
to  secure  her  husband's  cooperation  in  the  expedi- 
tion, lost  her  throne,  her  husband,  and  her  son; 
and  she  has  now  for  nearly  thirty  years  been  an  exile 
in  England,  a  grief-stricken,  heart-broken  woman. 

The  Emperor  Napoleon  led  his  country  into  war 
with  terrible  defeat,  broke  the  prestige  of  his 
uncle's  great  name,  was  driven  from  his  throne, 
and  died  in  disgrace,  an  exile  in  England. 

Isabella  of  Spain  lost  her  throne,  and  for  more 
than  thirty  years  has  been  living  in  exile. 

General  Prim,  who  led  the  Spanish  army  into 
Mexico,  and  the  greatest  military  man  that  Spain 
has  had  in  a  hundred  years,  was  assassinated  in 
the  streets  of  Madrid. 

Marshal  Bazaine  was  tried  upon  the  charge  of 
being  a  traitor  to  France,  and  was  sentenced  to  be 
shot;  but  his  old  comrade-in-arms,  President 
McMahon,  commuted  his  sentence  to  imprison- 
ment for  life,  and  he  was  confined  for  several 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  149 

years,  but  finally  made  his  escape,  and  died  in 
poverty  and'  distress  in  Spain. 

France,  who  had  led  the  movement,  lost  her 
proud  position  as  the  most  powerful  nation  on  the 
continent  of  Europe;  was  humiliated  in  her  war 
with  Germany,  in  which  she  never  won  a  battle  or 
a  skirmish;  had  her  capital  captured  by  the 
Germans ;  was  stripped  of  a  large  portion  of  her 
most  valuable  territory,  and  trodden  in  the  dust. 

Spain,  who  seconded  France,  got  into  a  war 
with  the  United  States,  lost  practically  all  of  her 
colonies,  most  of  her  navy,  and  suffered  the  most 
humiliating  defeat  that  any  nation  has  ever  known. 

Surely,  in  this  unparalleled  record,  as  one  con- 
templates it,  can  be  seen  the  retribution  of  God 
for  a  causeless  and  cruel  invasion. 


150  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

My  return  to  the  United  States — Visit  different  points  in  the 
United  States  — Finally  settle  down  in  Minnesota-  Become  a  reformer  in 
politics — Elected  to  the  legislature — Introduce  three  reform  measures. 

After  spending  a  couple  of  months  in  the  city  of 
Mexico,  and  enjoying  myself  as  I  never  have  before 
or  since  for  the  same  length  of  time,  I  was  finally 
wakened  out  of  my  dreams  of  pleasure,  receptions, 
balls,  celebrations,  and  so  forth,  to  realize  that 
there  was  something  more  serious  for  me  in  hand; 
so  I  turned  my  eyes  toward  the  United  States. 

The  ten  years  which  I  had  served  in  the  United 
States  army,  and  the  battles  I  had  fought  in  the 
country's  behalf,  had  so  imbued  me  with  American 
spirit  and  national  feeling,  that  I  could  never  think 
of  permanently  locating  anywhere  except  in  the 
domain  of  "Uncle  Sam." 

I  would  not  return  to  my  native  land  and  per- 
manently locate  there,  even  though  it  might  be 
free,  and  all  of  my  ancestral  rights  restored  to  me. 
It  is  my  earnest  desire  that  the  last  time  I  shall 
open  my  eyes  to  behold  the  light  of  day,  it  may  be 
to  look  upon  the  land  of  my  adoption;  and  may  all 
of  my  descendants  ever  abide  under  the  stars  and 
stripes,  in  the  land  of  the  free  and  the  home  of  the 
brave. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  151 

I  landed  in  New  York  the  1st  of  September, 
1867.  After  sojourning  a  few  days  in  New  York, 
I  went  to  Boston.  I  then  proceeded  to  Chicago; 
and  from  there  to  Rochester,  Minnesota,  where  I 
spent  the  winter  and  the  following  spring.  It  was 
while  in  Rochester,  Minnesota,  that  I  became  con- 
nected with  the  Independent  Order  of  Good 
Templars.  I  was  at  that  time  rough  and  uncouth, 
as  one  naturally  would  be  whose  life  had  been 
spent  in  the  army  from  the  time  he  was  twelve 
years  old  until  he  was  twenty-five. 

It  was  in  this  lodge  of  Good  Templars  that  I 
met  a  very  beautiful  young  lady,  Miss  Sophia  D. 
Chapin.  She  took  a  great  deal  of  interest  in  me, 
and  at  once  exercised  a  remarkable  influence  over 
me.  She  was  a  school-teacher,  and  she  did  her 
work  well  with  me.  She  would  chide  me  when  I 
did  wrong,  which  was  quite  often,  and  correct  me  in 
my  speech  and  manners  ;  she  did  wonders  for  me 
the  six  months  that  I  remained  under  her  beautiful 
influence.  We  left  Rochester  about  the  same 
time,  she  to  teach  school  in  Mississippi,  and  I  to 
go  further  west.  We  did  not  meet  again  for 
twenty  years.  At  first  we  exchanged  letters  for  a 
year  or  so,  and  then  our  correspondence  ceased. 

During  the  campaign  for  prohibition  in  North 
Dakota,  in  1889,  I  often  saw  letters  in  the  New 
York  Voice,  written  by  Mrs.  J.  C.  White.  I  liked 
her  letters  very  much  indeed,  and  found  out  that 


152  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

she  and  her  husband,  Captain  J.  C.  White,  were 
conducting  the  campaign  for  prohibition  in  that 
State. 

When  I  spoke  in  Fargo,  I  met  Mrs.  Baxter  of 
Michigan.  She  said  to  me:  "Mrs.  J.  C.  White 
sends  her  regards  to  you,  and  says  that  you  must 
come  to  Castleton  and  visit  them  before  you  leave 
North  Dakota."  . 

I  replied  that  I  had  read  and  heard  a  good 
deal  about  Mrs.  White,  but  had  never  had  the 
pleasure  of  meeting  with  her;  however,  I  should 
enjoy  meeting  her  and  her  husband  very  much. 

"Why,"  said  Mrs.  Baxter,  "she  said  that  you 
and  she  were  old  friends,  and  that  you  were  one  of 
the  noblest  young  men  she  ever  knew.  She  said 
you  would  know  her  maiden  name,  which  was 
Sophia  D.  Chapin.  " 

How  delighted  I  was  to  hear  of  my  old  civilizer, 
and  friend  of  olden  days,  and  find  her  so  active  in 
a  cause  to  which  I  was  devoting  my  life! 

When  I  arrived  in  Grand  Forks,  I  received  a 
letter  from  Captain  White,  saying  that  I  was 
announced  to  speak  at  Fargo  on  Sunday  night, 
and  asking  me  if  I  wouldn't  speak  in  Castleton 
Sunday  afternoon,  as  the  train  ran  so  that  I  could 
return  to  Fargo  in  time  to  lecture.  He  said  he 
had  heard  so  much  of  me,  and  heard  his  wife  talk 
so  much  about  me,  that  he  was  desirous  of  meeting 
me.  I  accepted  the  kind  invitation,  arrived  there 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  153 

early  Sunday  morning,  and  spent  the  hours  very 
pleasantly  talking  over  the  olden  days.  I  spoke 
there  in  the  afternoon,  and  then  Captain  White 
and  his  wife  accompanied  me  to  Fargo  and 
remained  until  Tuesday  morning.  I  found  Cap- 
tain White  a  high-toned,  chivalrous  gentleman,  a 
worthy  husband  of  such  a  noble  woman. 

A  few  weeks  afterward  I  received  a  letter  from 
him,  telling  me  that  he  had  seen  by  the  papers  that 
I  was  to  be  in  Chicago  during  the  session  of  the 
National  Woman's  Christian  Temperance  Union  ; 
that  it  would  be  impossible  for  him  to  attend,  but 
his  wife  would  attend,  and  asking  me  if  it  was  too 
much  to  ask  of  me  to  see  that  his  wife  got  a 
pleasant  stopping  place,  and  to  care  for  her  in  any 
way  that  she  might  need  help  while  she  was  there. 
I  did  so,  and  did  all  I  could  to  make  the  time 
pleasant  for  her. 

She  died  a  few  months  afterward  from 
la  grippe.  Her  husband  survived  her  only  a  few 
weeks,  dying  from  the  same  disease.  Both  of 
them  had  worked  so  hard  during  that  campaign 
which  gave  to  North  Dakota  prohibition,  that  they 
hadn't  strength  enough  to  resist  the  ravages  ot 
disease.  It  is  due  to  them  and  to  the  temper- 
ance people  of  North  Dakota  that  a  suitable 
monument  should  be  erected  at  their  grave,  and 
upon  it  should  be  an  inscription  telling  of  their 
splendid  lives  and  the  sacrifices  they  made  to  give 


i54  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

to  North  Dakota  its  constitution  forever  prohibiting 
the  liquor  traffic  in  the  State.  A  brighter  or  more 
beautiful  spirit  than  that  of  Mrs.  Sophia  White 
never  went  through  the  pearly  gates. 

I  visited  St.  Paul  first,  and  then  Minneapolis, 
finally  settling  down  in  Dayton,  a  suburban  town 
of  Minneapolis,  where  1  spent  my  time  when  not 
working  for  temperance,  in  reading  law.  I  had 
the  good  fortune  while  there  of  making  the 
acquaintance  of  Mr.  Richard  Robinson,  a  splendid 
man,  and  his  noble  wife,  who  were  as  true  friends 
as  any  that  God*  ever  gave  me.  They  were  loyal 
to  me  in  every  emergency. 

That  fall  a  serious  breach  broke  out  in  the 
Republican  party  of  Hennepin  County,  and  the 
better  element  of  the  party  was  so  dissatisfied  with 
the  nominations  made  in  the  convention  that  they 
bolted.  A  call  fora  convention  to  nominate  a  reform 
ticket  was.  immediately  made.  It  was  composed 
of  men  of  all  parties,  and  I  was  nominated  as  one 
of  the  candidates  for  the  legislature.  The  con- 
vention was  presided  over  by  Russell  H.  Conwell, 
who  was  then  a  young  attorney,  and  editor  of  the 
first  daily  paper  of  Minneapolis,  The  Daily 
Chronicle.  Mr.  Conwell  is  now  Rev.  Dr.  Conwell, 
the  celebrated  popular  lecturer,  and  pastor  of  the 
great  University  Baptist  Church  of  Philadelphia, 
the  largest  Baptist  Church  in.  the  world. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  155 

I  took  the  stump  during  that  campaign  and 
spoke  in  every  town  in  the  county.  I  was  elected 
by  an  overwhelming  majority,  leading  my  entire 
ticket,  which  to  me  was  quite  remarkable,  as  I  had 
lived  in  the  county  but  a  few  months  :  and  during 
the  entire  campaign  I  proclaimed  myself  first  and 
last  and  at  all  times  a  prohibitionist ;  and  to  say 
that  in  that  day  and  in  that  new  country  was  quite 
different  from  what  it  is  now. 

The  legislature  assembled  in  January.  The 
Sunday  before  I  went  to  St.  Paul,  I  was  invited  to 
the  house  of  an  ex-member  of  Congress  to  dine. 
After  dinner  he  took  me  into  his  library  and  said 
he  was  going  to  give  me  some  good  advice.  He 
said  he  had  taken  a  great  deal  of  interest  in  me 
ever  since  he  had  known  me,  and  had  in  every 
way  shown  his  friendship  for  me,  and  continued: 
"Now  you  are  the  kind  of  a  young  man  I 
can  talk  to,  for  the  reason  that  you  don't  have  any 
symptoms  of  the  big-head.  Now,  my  young  friend, 
you  have  a  brilliant  political  future  before  you,  if 
you  do  not  make  any  mistakes.  There  is  no 
reason  why  you  cannot  be  in  Congress  in  less  than 
ten  years,  if  you  act  wisely.  Now  do  this,  my 
young  friend,  and  you  will  be  all  right:  fully  iden- 
tify yourself  with  the  Republican  party,  and  never 
fly  the  track ;  let  the  Republican  platform  be  your 
creed,  and  never  know  anything  else  or  advocate 
anything  else  except  that  which  you  find  in  the 


156  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

platform  of  the  party.  Doubtless,  sometimes  the 
party  will  do  something  and  stand  for  something 
that  you  would  not  wish  to  accept  but  never  mind, 
swallow  it  down.  This  should  always  quiet  your 
conscience:  that  the  average  intelligence  and 
morality  ought  to  be  equal  to  yours,  consequently 
you  should  be  willing  to  submit  to  whatever  a 
majority  of  the  party  says  is  right  and  proper.  Let 
these  social  questions,  such  as  temperance  and 
kindred  questions,  alone;  leave  them  to  the  ministers 
and  to  the  Church." 

I  thanked  the  judge  for  his  good  advice,  but 
that  winter  in  the  legislature  I  advocated  woman 
suffrage,  the  abolishment  of  the  death  penalty,  and 
the  prohibition  of  the  liquor  traffic,  and  did  and 
said  a  lot  of  other  things  which  no  wise  or  discreet 
politician  who  was  looking  for  future  political 
promotion  would  ever  do. 

Then  the  judge  told  me  that  I  would  never  be 
elected  to  another  office  by  any  political  party. 
As  that  has  been  more  than  thirty  years  ago,  and  as 
I  have  never  had  an  office  since,  I  guess  the  judge 
was  right.  Still,  I  am  more  than  satisfied  with 
my  choice ;  and  if  I  had  my  life  to  live  over  again, 
I  would  choose  the  same  path. 

When  I  was  in  the  legislature,  William  A. 
Marshall  was  the  governor  of  the  State.  Governor 
Marshall  was  a  very  courteous,  affable  gentleman. 
He  had  been  a  brave  soldier,  and  was  in  every 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  157 

way  a  worthy  man.  Hon.  William  Yale,  of 
Winona,  was  lieutenant  governor.  J.  Q.  Farmer 
was  speaker  of  the  House.  All  of  these  gentle- 
men are  now  living,  with  the  exception  of  Gov- 
ernor Marshall. 

The  leading  men  of  the  State  Senate  at  that 
time  were  Hon.  William  P.  Murray  of  St.  Paul, 
Senator  Daniels  of  Rochester,  and  Senator  Lord 
of  Mower  County.  In  the  House  of  Representa- 
tives, the  leading  members  were  Hon.  Mark 
Dinell,  Hon.  Dana  King,  Hon.  Cushman  K.  Davis. 

I  found  myself  to  be  the  youngest  man  of  the 
legislature.  There  were  two  others  born  the 
same  year,  but  later  in  the  year.  They  were 
Cushman  K.  Davis  of  St.  Paul,  and  A.  A.  Ames 
of  Minneapolis. 

Cushman  K.  Davis,  though  serving  his  first  term, 
and  one  of  its  very  youngest  members,  at  once 
came  to  the  front  as  one  of  the  ablest  debaters, 
and  gave  promise  of  the  great  name  that  he  has 
since  achieved.  While  governor  of  the  State  of 
Minnesota,  Mr.  Davis  gave  evidence  of  some  poli- 
tical independence,  and  that  injured  him  for  a 
while;  but  he  has  recovered  from  it,  and  is  now  the 
idol  of  his  party  in  the  State. 

A.  A.  Ames,  one  of  my  colleagues,  a  bright, 
rising  young  doctor,  has  since  been  four  times 
mayor  of  the  splendid  city  of  Minneapolis,  and  has 


158  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

several  times  been  a  candidate  of  his  party  for 
the  governorship.  He  was  and  is  a  Democrat. 

As  soon  as  the  legislature  had  got  well  under 
way,  I  gave  notice  of  the  introduction  of  a  bill  pro- 
hibiting the  liquor  traffic,  and  another  bill  for  the 
abolishment  of  the  death  penalty.  The  last  named 
bill  I  could  never  get  from  the  committee  it  was 
referred  to. 

One  day  I  received  a  petition  from  a  Mrs. 
Coleman.  It  was  signed  by  about  one  hundred 
names,  asking  for  woman  suffrage.  Mrs.  Coleman 
was  an  educated  woman,  and  of  considerable 
ability  ;  a  spiritualistic  medium.  On  receiving  the 
petition,  I  consulted  with  one  of  my  colleagues  as 
to  what  I  should  do  with  it.  "Oh!"  he  said, 
"pay  no  attention  to  the  thing;  for  if  anyone 
introduces  it,  it  will  make  him  the  laughing-stock 
of  the  House." 

I  thought  over  the  matter  a  day  or  two,  and 
came  to  the  conclusion  that  I  ought  to  present  it. 
So  one  morning  at  the  proper  time  I  sent  up  the 
petition.  It  caused  great  laughter  and  applause, 
and  a  motion  was  made,  and  carried  unanimously, 
that  it  be  referred  to  a  committee  of  one,  and  that 
one  the  member  from  Hennepin  who  had  pre- 
sented it.  So,  amid  shouting  and  laughter  the 
motion  was  carried,  and  it  was  handed  back  to  me. 
I  put  it  back  in  my  drawer,  never  intending  to 
look  at  it  again. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  159 

Of  course  all  of  this  was  reported  in  the  papers, 
and  in  a  few  days  I  received  a  letter  from  a  lady 
who  was  quite  renowned  in  the  educational  world, 
and  whose  husband  has  since  been  a  judge  and  a 
United  States  Senator,  saying  that  she  had  seen 
the  action  of  the  legislature  in  the  case,  and 
knowing  that  I  was  a  young  man,  she  would  send 
me  some  books  and  other  printed  matter,  and  it 
might  help  me  in  •  getting  up  my  report.  I  had 
thought  that  the  whole  thing  was  a  joke,  and 
intended  to  pay  no  attention  to  it ;  but  in  a  day  or 
two  the  documents  came,  and  to  my  astonishment 
I  found  speeches  and  papers  favoring  woman 
suffrage  from  such  statesmen  as  Lyman  Trumbull 
of  Illinois,  Senators  Wade  and  Corwin  of  Ohio, 
Senators  Sumner  and  Wilson  of  Massachusetts; 
and  from  such  literary  men  as  Wendell  Phillips 
and  Ralph  Waldo  Emerson  of  Massachusetts. 
I  read  the  documents,  and  became  a  convert  to 
the  principle,  and  have  remained  so  to  this  day. 

I  found  another  member  of  the  House  who  was 
a  believer  in  woman  suffrage,  Hon. Charles  Wheaton 
of  Northfield,  Rice  County. 

I  presented  my  report  to  the  House,  and  it  was 
laid  over.  Mrs.  Coleman  wrote  to  me  that  she 
would  like  to  come  to  St.  Paul  and  speak  in  its 
behalf.  I  asked  for  the  use  of  the  hall  of  the 
House  of  Representatives,  and  it  was  readily 
granted.  The  meeting  was  largely  attended  ;  the 


160  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

lady  made  an  able  speech,  and  it  evidently  made 
a  good  impression. 

At  the  same  session  of  the  legislature  the 
Republicans  were  trying  to  get  through  a  resolu- 
tion amending  the  constitution,  by  striking  out  the 
word  white  as  one  of  the  qualifications  of  a  voter. 
Mr.  Maynard,  the  leader  of  the  Democratic  party, 
came  over  to  me  and  told  me  if  I  would  vote  to  tack 
both  propositions  together,  that  all  the  Democratic 
members  would  support  me.  Their  object  was  to 
so  load  down  the  measure  that  it  would  be  over- 
whelmingly defeated. 

My  idea  was  that  one  proposition  was  as  good 
as  the  other  ;  that  a  woman  ought  to  have  a  chance 
to  vote  and  the  black  man  ought  to.  have  a  chance 
to  vote ;  that  no  one  should  be  deprived  of  the 
ballot  on  account  of  color  or  sex.  All  this  time 
I  had  been  laughed  at  so  much  that  I  was  quite 
sensitive.  I  thought  I  was  standing  practically 
all  alone  in  my  support  of  the  bill.  But  when 
it  came  up  for  action,  some  of  the  most  fashion- 
able and  elegant  ladies  of  St.  Paul  and  Minne- 
apolis came  into  the  house,  filling  the  lobby  and 
the  galleries.  I  shall  never  forget  my  feelings  that 
day.  Under  the  influence  of  the  smiles  of  those 
fair  ladies,  how  brave  I  was!  And  we  fought 
a  royal  battle  ;  and  though  defeated,  it  endorsed  a 
movement  that  will  not  end  until  the  women  of  our 
land  stand  equal  with  the  men  before  the  law. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  161 

The  next  battle  in  that  legislature  was  on  the 
prohibition  question.  My  bill  was  referred  to  a 
special  committee,  of  which  I  was  chairman;  and, 
to  my  surprise,  I  found,  after  making  my  speech 
before  the  committee,  that  every  member  was  in 
favor  of  it.  It  was  so  reported  back  to  the  House, 
and  was  referred  to  a  committee  of  the  whole,  and 
there  a  battle  royal  was  fought.  It  went  through 
the  committee  of  the  whole  by  a  large  majority, 
but  under  the  lash  of  the  party  whip — the  measure 
being  stigmatized  by  the.  principal  Republican 
paper  in  the  State  as  a  bill  in  the  interest  of  the 
Democratic  party,  the  paper  saying  if  the  bill  passed 
it  would  drive  the  German  and  the  Scandinavian 
vote  into  the  Democratic  party,  and  would  hope- 
lessly defeat  the  Republicans  in  the  State — and 
under  the  tremendous  pressure  that  was  brought 
against  the  bill  for  political  reasons,  it  was 
defeated. 

I  said  that  night  after  its  defeat,  that,  God 
helping  me,  I  would  never  vote  again  with  any 
political  party  that  was  dictated  to  by  the  distiller, 
the  brewer,  and  the  saloon-keeper;  and  I  never 
have. 

During  that  session  of  the  legislature,  a  mat- 
ter came  up  that  I  have  often  thought  of  with  a 
good  deal  of  pride.  Minnesota  being  largely  a 
lumbering  State,  the  State  was  divided  into  six 
lumbering  districts.  An  eastern  district  had  what 


162  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

they  called  a  surveyor  of  logs.  I  do  not  remem- 
ber now  what  his  duties  were,  but  it  was  a  very 
lucrative  office.  When  the  war  broke  out  a 
Mr.  Camp  held  the  position.  It  was  a  position 
worth  four  thousand  dollars  a  year.  But  when  the 
call  was  made  for  men  to  put  down  the  rebellion, 
he  threw  up  his  position  and  joined  the  army  as  a 
private  soldier.  He  came  out  of  the  army  a 
major. 

One  morning  in  the  lobby  of  the  House  of 
Representatives,  Dr.  Ames  introduced  me  to 
Major  Camp.  Major  Camp  said  to  me  that  he 
wished  my  support  for  the  office  of  surveyor  of 
logs.  He  said  he  resigned  the  position  to  go 
into  the  army,  and  that  Mr.  Lane,  his  successor, 
had  held  the  office  now  for  seven  years,  and  he 
thought,  under  the  circumstances,  that  he  was 
entitled  to  it  again.  I  told  him  that  I  would 
support  him  in  the  caucus. 

That  night  just  as  we  were  going  into  caucus, 
a  senator  who  did  not  live  in  my  district,  nor  in 
Major  Camp's  district,  came  to  me  and  said:  "I 
suppose  you  know  who  the  man  is  who  is  to  be 
nominated  for  surveyor  in  your  district." 

I  said,  "Why,  yes,  Major  Camp." 

"Oh,  no!"  said  he,  "Mr.  Lane,  for  I  have  a 
petition  signed  by  every  lumberman  in  that  district, 
asking  for  his  reelection." 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  163 

"Well,"  I  said,  "nevertheless,  I  shall  support 
Major  Camp.  " 

He  said  it  would  be  useless,  as  everybody  else 
would  support  Mr.  Lane.  He  said  even  the  man 
who  would  present  Mr.  Camp's  name  to  the  cau- 
cus, would  vote  for  Mr.  Lane,  and  would  say  so  in 
the  caucus.  I  told  him  all  right,  he  was  privileged 
to  do  so;  that  while  I  was  well  acquainted  with 
Mr.  Lane  and  knew  that  he  was  all  that  his  friends 
claimed  for  him,  nevertheless,  I  should  always 
vote  for  the  soldier  when  everything  else  was 
equal.  With  that  we  parted. 

When  the  caucus  got  down  to  our  district,  the 
senator  rose  and  nominated  Mr.  Lane  with  a  neat 
little  speech,  and  then  started  to  read  the  petition, 
when  the  chairman  of  the  caucus  told  him  that  he 
did  not  presume  it  was  necessary  to  read  the  peti- 
tion, as  he  presumed  there  would  be  no  opposi- 
tion to  Mr.  Lane.  The  senator  looked  over  to 
where  my  colleague  and  I  sat. 

My  colleague  said  nothing.  So  I  rose  and 
said:  "Yes,  there  will  be  another  nomination.  " 

So  he  proceeded  to  read  the  petition. 

When  he  sat  down,  my  colleague  rose  and 
said  he  had  been  requested  to  put  in  the  nomina- 
tion of  Major  Camp.  He  said  this  request  had 
been  made  by  Mr.  Camp  himself,  but  said  he 
should  vote  for  Mr.  Lane,  as  his  election  was 
desired  by  the  lumber-dealers  of  the  district. 


164  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

I  was  determined  that  the  matter  should  not 
rest  there,  and  that  Major  Camp's  name  should  not 
go  before  the  caucus  in  that  way.  So  I  rose  and 
said:  "Mr.  Chairman,  on  behalf  of  Mr.  Camp,  I 
wish  to  say  that  everything  that  has  been  said  in 
behalf  of  Mr.  Lane  we  agree  with.  He  is  honest, 
capable,  and  popular,  and  his  reelection  doubtless 
would  give  entire  satisfaction.  But  when  the 
Civil  War  broke  Out,  it  found  Major  Camp  holding 
this  office  that  he  had  been  elected  to  a  few 
months  before :  and  when  the  nation  called  its 
sons  to  arms  in  its  defense,  he  threw  up  this  fat 
office,  and  entered  the  army  as  a  private  soldier,  at 
eleven  dollars  a  month ;  and  for  gallantry  in  the 
field  he  was  promoted  at  the  close  of  the  war  to  be 
major  of  his  regiment.  During  those  four  years 
he  marched  in  the  rain,  slept  in  the  mud,  faced 
Confederate  bullets,  while  all  this  time  Mr.  Lane — 
without  any  disrespect  to  him — was  staying  at 
home,  eating  three  square  meals  a  day  and  at  night 
sleeping  on  a  bed  of  down,  and  drawing  a  salary 
of  four  thousand  dollars  a  year.  And  now  this 
gallant  soldier,  Major  Camp,  comes  to  us  and  asks 
us  to  reelect  him  to  the  position  that  he  left  to 
defend  his  nation's  flag.  That  he  is  just  as 
capable  as  Mr.  Lane,  no  one  will  deny.  And 
now,  what  are  we  going  to  do  about  it?  Gentle- 
men, I  remember,  and  some  of  you  remember, 
when  we  marched  down  Pennsylvania  Avenue  at 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  165 

the  time  of  the  great  review,  we  saw  a  banner 
stretched  across  the  avenue  with  this  inscription: 
'The  nation  owes  one  debt  it  can  never  pay,  and 
that  is  the  debt  it  owes  its  soldiers.'  Gentlemen, 
it  is  the  boast  of  the  Republican  party  that  it  is 
the  friend  of  the  soldier ;  that  boast  will  be  tested 
to-night,  and  what  shall  be  the  answer?  Your 
votes  will  tell." 

A  vote  was  immediately  taken,  and  Major 
Camp  was  nominated  by  a  vote  of  thirty-five  to 
eighteen.  Immediately  after  the  ballot  had  been 
taken  we  adjourned. 

The  senator  whom  I  have  already  mentioned 
came  to  me  and  said:  "Your  man  went  through 
a  kiting,  didn't  he  ?" 

I  said,  "  He  went  through  all  right.  " 

But  the  next  morning  while  I  was  sitting  in  my 
seat,  a  leading  lumberman  came  to  me  in  great 
excitement  and  said:  "Do  you  know  what  you 
have  done?  Do  you  know  what  you  have  done?" 

I  replied,  "  Nothing  ve'ry  alarming,  I  hope.  " 

He  said,  "You  have,  by  defeating  Mr.  Lane, 
offended  the  entire  lumber  interest  of  your  district." 

"  Do  you  know  Major  Camp?  "     I  asked. 

"Yes,"  he  replied,  "I  have  always  known 
him." 

I  said,  "Well,  is  he  honest?" 

"Yes." 

"Is  he  capable?" 


1 66  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

"Yes,"  he  replied,  "but  we  like  Mr.  Lane 
better  personally." 

"Well,"  I  said,  "I  like  Major  Camp  better 
personally,  and  I  take  the  responsibility  of  the 
whole  matter." 

He  said,  "He  shall  not  be  elected." 

An  attempt  was  made  by  Lane's  friends  to 
make  a  bargain  with  the  Democrats,  and  they 
succeeded  so  far  as  to  postpone  the  election  for  a 
week;  but  during  the  week  they  heard  from  their 
constituents,  and  Major  Camp  was  triumphantly 
elected. 

A  few  days  afterward  the  legislature  adjourned, 
and  I  am  sure  that  my  term  in  the  body 
demonstrated  the  fact  that  I  was  utterly,  wanting 
in  the  qualities  that  go  to  make  up  a  successful 
politician. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  167 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Elected  to  the  Right  Worthy  Grand  Lodge  of  Good  Templars — The 
persons  whom  I  met  there — Go  to  England — Lecture  in  England, 
Scotland,  Ireland,  and  Wales — Return  to  the  United  States  and  begin 
my  career  as  a  lecturer  for  the  Good  Templars. 

A  few  weeks  after  the  legislature  adjourned, 
at  the  session  of  the  Grand  Lodere  of  Good 

o 

Templars  of  Minnesota,  I  was  chosen  as  a  repre- 
sentative to  the  Right  Worthy  Grand  Lodge  by  a 
unanimous  vote.  The  session  was  held  in  Detroit, 
the  latter  part  of  May.  Upon  arriving  and  enter- 
ing that  body,  I  found  it  thus  constituted. 

The  Right  Worthy  Grand  Templar  was  Hon. 
Samuel  D.  Hastings  of  Wisconsin.  Mr.  Hastings, 
if  my  memory  serves  me  correctly,  was  born  in 
Massachusetts,  and  came  to  Wisconsin  at  a  very 
early  day,  settling  in  La  Crosse.  He  early  identi- 
fied himself  with  the  anti-slavery  cause,  and  was 
elected  to  the  legislature  by  that  party.  In  that 
legislature  he  found  himself  associated  with  Mr. 
Willard,  of  Rock  County,  who  belonged  to  the 
same  party  as  himself.  Mr.  Willard  was  the 
father  of  Frances  Willard.  Mr.  Hastings  assisted 
in  the  organization  of  the  Republican  party,  and 
was  one  of  its  charter  members.  Afterward  he 
was  four  times  elected  State  treasurer.  He  early 
became  a  member  of  the  Order  of  Good  Templars, 


1 68  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

was  elected  Grand  Chief  Templar  of  his  State,  and 
afterward  four  or  five  times  elected  Right  Worthy 
Grand  Templar.  He  was  also  one  of  the  organ- 
izers of  the  Prohibition  party,  has  been  its  candi- 
date for  governor  in  Wisconsin,  and  a  member  of 
the  national  committee  of  the  Prohibition  party. 
All  these  years  he  has  been  an  active  member  of 
the  Good  Templars,  attending  subordinate  and 
grand  lodges.  More  than  twenty  years  ago  he 
was  sent  by  the  Right  Worthy  Grand  Lodge  to 
extend  our  order  in  the  islands  of  the  Pacific.  He 
visited  Australia,  New  Zealand,  and  Tasmania, 
discharging  his  duties  with  that  ability  and  satis- 
faction which  have  always  characterized  him.  He 
is  now  eighty-four  years  old.  He  was  never 
strong  in  body,  but  his  mental  powers  do  not  show 
the  slightest  decadence.  At  the  recent  session  of 
the  Right  Worthy  Grand  Lodge,  at  Toronto, 
Canada,  as  chairman  of  the  committee  on  Worthy 
Grand  Lodges,  he  drew  up  a  report  that  excited 
the  admiration  of  all.  Educated,  refined,  pure, 
and  noble — such  is  the  life  and  characteristics  oi 
this  grand  old  man.  We  hope  that  we  may  have 
the  benefit  of  his  life  and  ability  for  many  years  to 
come. 

The  Right  Worthy  Grand  Counselor  was 
Judge  James  Black  of  Pennsylvania,  a  man  of 
great  legal  attainments,  and  a  natural  philanthro- 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  169 

pist.  He  was  the  Prohibition  candidate  for  the 
presidency  in  1872.  He  has  recently  died. 

The  Right  Worthy  Grand  Secretary  was  Julius 
Spencer  of  Ohio.  Mr.  Spencer  was  the  author  of 
the  Spencerian  system  of  shorthand.  He  was  an 
ideal  secretary.  He  is  now  dead. 

Among  the  active  members  of  that  body  at  that 
time  was  Hon.  Jonathan  Orne,  of  Massachusetts, 
a  man  of  fine  ability  and  presence.  He  was  after- 
ward elected  the  head  of  the  order.  He  was  a 
leading  layman  of  the  Universalist  Church,  a  man 
of  very  captivating  manners,  and  the  best  story- 
teller I  ever  heard.  He  died  about  six  years  ago. 
He  was  long  a  leading  Prohibitionist  in  Massa- 
chusetts. 

Another  prominent  member  of  that  body  was 
Rev.  John  Russell  of  Michigan.  Rev.  Russell 
had  long  been  recognized  as  one  of  the  most 
prominent  members  and  ministers  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church.  He  was  an  early  abolitionist, 
and  a  stanch  Republican  down  to  the  organization 
of  the  Prohibition  party.  He  was  the  father  of  the 
Prohibition  party.  It  was  he  who  inaugurated 
the  movement  for  the  formation  of  the  party.  He 
was  four  or  five  times  elected  Grand  Chief  Templar 
of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Good  Templars  of  Michigan, 
and  two  or  three  times  elected  Right  Worthy 
Grand  Templar.  Strong  and  mighty  for  the  right, 
yet  as  loving  and  as  tender  as  a  child — I  never 


170  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sotyeski. 

knew  a  better  man  than  John  Russell;  I  reckon 
a  better  one  never  lived.  He  is  living  at  the  date 
of  writing  this  book  (1899)  at  the  -age  of  about 
eighty. . 

Another  was  Hon.  S.  B.  Chase  of  Pennsylvania. 
Mr.  Chase  had  been  Grand  Chief  Templar  of  Penn- 
sylvania, and  for  some  years  he  had  been  at  the 
head  of  the  order  in  the  nation.  He  was  an  attorney 
by  profession,  and  in  early  life  embraced  the  tem- 
perance cause  and  wrote  the  digest  of  the  laws 
of  the  order.  He  has  been  for  a  long  time  con- 
sidered authority  in  Good  Templar  law,  and  is 
exceedingly  winning  in  his  ways.  He  is  still  living, 
and  active  in  the  work.  He  is  the  chancellor  of 
the  Good  Templar  course  of  study. 

Among  the  lady  members  of  that  body  was 
Miss  Frances  Gage.  She  had  won  great  fame  in 
the  anti-slavery  struggle,  and  later  in  the  cause  of 
woman  suffrage.  She  was  also  prominent  in 
Unitarian  circles.  She  was  a  woman  of  decided 
ability,  and  a  natural  reformer  and  philanthropist. 

Another  leading  officer  of  that  body  was  Miss 
Amanda  Lane  of  Massachusetts,  the  Grand  Vice- 
Templar,  and  a  prominent  member  of  the  Univer- 
salist  Church  in  Massachusetts. 

Another  was  Miss  Amanda  Way.  This  dis- 
tinguished sister  was  one  of  the  pioneers  of  the 
order.  She  had  been  Grand  Chief  Templar  in 
Indiana,  Kansas,  and  Idaho.  She  was  one  of  the 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  171 

leading  crusaders  of  1873.  Broad  in  her  views,  a 
member,  I  think,  of  the  Quakers,  or  Friends,  she  is 
the  best-known  and  the  best-loved  woman  of  our 
order. 

I  found  myself  to  be  the  youngest  member  by 
some  years  in  that  body.  And  you  can  judge,  sur- 
rounded as  I  was  by  these  magnificent  men  and 
women,  how  I  was  impressed  and  enthused. 
It  gave  me  an  inspiration  that  has  remained  until 
this  day. 

I  now  determined  to  take  a  trip  to  England. 
Carrying  letters  of  introduction  from  leading  tem- 
perance men  of  this  country,  I  landed  in  England. 
I  presented  myself  to  John  H.  Roper,  who  was  the 
president  of  the  Prohibition  Alliance  of  the  United 
Kingdom.  I  am  not  sure  that  I  have  this  title  just 
right,  but  about  right,  anyhow.  It  had  for  its  aim 
what  its  name  signifies,  and  is  one  of  the  most 
powerful  organizations  I  have  ever  known.  Mr. 
Roper,  who  was  at  the  head  of  it  when  I  worked 
for  it,  was  one  of  the  ablest  men  I  have  ever 
met.  Perfectly  fearless,  an  able  speaker,  a 
natural-born  leader,  wise  in  all  of  his  actions,  he  was 
indeed  an  ideal  commander.  I  had  the  pleasure 
of  renewing  his  acquaintance  again  in  1876,  at 
Louisville,  Kentucky.  He  died  some  four  or  five 
years  ago,  active  until  the  last. 

Another  distinguished  leader  of  this  reform 
was  Dr.  F.  R.  Lees.  Dr.  Lees  was  a  scholar,  a 


172  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

scientist,  a  reformer,  and  an  orator.  His  text- 
books on  the  temperance  question  are  standard 
works  of  our  reform.  I  had  the  pleasure  of  meeting 
him  again  in  this  country  in  1874,  at  Bloomington, 
Illinois.  He  has  died  but  recently,  remaining 
devoted  to  the  cause  to  the  last. 

I  had  a  letter  of  introduction  to  a  leading  mem- 
ber of  the  Methodist  Church.  When  I  was  given 
the  letter,  my  friend,  who  was  a  Methodist  minister, 
said:  "Now  this  man,  when  I  knew  him  twenty- 
five  years  ago,  was  a  leading  brewer  in  that  part 
of  England  ;  but  in  that  day  it  was  considered  all 
right  to  be  engaged  in  that  business.  He  was  a 
man  of  the  highest  integrity  and  a  perfect  Christian 
in  his  life.  He  has  no  doubt  long  since  gone  out 
of  that  business." 

Upon  my  arrival  at  his  place  of  business,  I 
found  him  not  only  a  brewer,  but  he  had  the  exclu- 
sive right  to  sell  all  the  liquor  for  a  square  mile. 
He  received  me  warmly  and  insisted  I  should 
make  his  house  my  home.  I  consented.  When 
we  went  to  dinner,  as  they  called  it  in  that  country, 
I  found  his  wife  sitting  in  a  large  upholstered 
chair,  drunk.  We  had  prayers  before  eating, 
for  they  had  prayers  three  times  a  day.  When 
we  knelt  to  pray  the  woman  succeeded  in  turn- 
ing over,  slipping  part  way  out  of  the  chair, 
and  groaned  while  I  was  praying.  When  the 
prayers  were  over,  I  assisted  in  raising  her  and 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  173 

replacing  her  in  the  chair;  for,  while  she  could  slip 
out  of  the  chair,  she  could  not  slip  back.  She  did 
not  attempt  to  come  to  the  table.  The  next 
morning  I  found  her  very  sober,  and  very  relig- 
ious indeed ;  she  wouldn't  talk  about  anything 
except  religion.  She  wanted  to  know  of  me  if  I 
had  ever  experienced  the  sanctifying  power  of  the 
Holy  Ghost.  I  told  her  I  had;  and  she  said, 
"  Glory  to  God."  But  while  she  was  talking  to 
me  she  was  drinking  beer  all  the  while.  She  said 
that  I  ought  to  be  a  preacher,  but  I  rather  thought 
I  ought  to  get  my  call  from  a  different  source. 

On  the  third  night  I  was  to  speak  on  temper- 
ance, and  the  minister  of  the  parish — that  is,  the 
Wesleyan  minister — called  on  me  and  talked  an 
hour  before  the  meeting  time.  His  whole  conver- 
sation was  on  religion,  and  he  drank  two  quarts  of 
beer  while  he  was  talking.  He  made  the  prayer 
at  the  temperance  meeting,  and  the  only  allusion 
he  made  to  the  temperance  question  was  to  pray 
that  God  might  have  mercy  upon  a  man  who 
couldn't  drink  without  getting  drunk.  The  brewer 
presided  at  my  meeting,  and  in  his  speech — and  it 
was  quite  a  speech — he  lamented  the  curse  of 
drunkenness,  and  said  it  was  the  desire  of  his 
heart  to  see  the  happy  day  when  drunkenness 
would  be  unknown. 

My  experience  in  that  country  was  decidedly 
unique.  Speaking  in  those  days  in  England  on 


174  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

temperance  was  very  spicy.  From  the  time  you 
had  started  your  meeting  until  you  closed,  it  was 
cheering,  hissing,  and  groaning.  There  was 
hardly  a  moment  but  some  of  these  things  were 
occurring,  and  sometimes  all  together;  and  some- 
times, to  keep  the  speaker  thoroughly  awake  to 
his  subject,  he  was  pelted  with  missiles. 

While  I  was  there  I  visited  one  spot  that  was 
like  an  oasis  in  a  desert,  and,  strange  to  say,  it 
was  in  Ireland.  In  Tyrone  County,  if  I  remember 
correctly,  in  the  beautiful  town  of  Bessborough, — I 
think  of  about  ten  or  twelve  thousand  inhabitants, 
—a  town  noted  for  the  manufacture  of  fine  Irish 
linens,  I  was  a  guest  at  the  house  of  the  principal 
manufacturer,  Mr.  Richardson.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Friends,  or  Quaker  Church.  There  was 
not  what  they  called  a  public  house  in  the  entire 
town.  This  oasis  covered  altogether  sixty-one 
square  miles,  and  in  that  district  they  had  scarcely 
any  paupers  at  all,  and  crime  was  practically 
unknown.  During  the  two  weeks  that  I  was  in 
Bessborough,  I  never  heard  God's  name  profaned 
once — no  fighting,  no  brawling,  and  no  drunken- 
ness. It  was  indeed  an  ideal  spot. 

In  1869  I  returned  to  America.  A  convention 
had  been  called  to  organize  the  Prohibition  party. 
It  met  in  Farwell  Hall,  Chicago.  The  call  had 
specified  all  those  who  favored  the  organization 
of  the  Prohibition  party.  But  it  was  very  soon 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  175 

ascertained  that  a  large  element  had  come  to  the 
convention  determined  that  it  should  not  be  organ- 
ized. John  Russell  of  Michigan  was  the  temporary 
chairman.  James  Black  of  Pennsylvania  was  the 
permanent  chairman.  Both  of  those  gentlemen 
sounded  the  key-note  of  party  action.  The  lead- 
ing men  of  that  convention  were  the  two  distin- 
guished gentlemen  I  have  just  mentioned,  and 
Gerrit  Smith  of  New  York. 

Gerrit  Smith  was  one  of  the  wealthiest  men  of 
our  country  at  that  time.  He  had  been  a  member 
of  Congress  from  New  York;  he  had  distinguished 
himself  in  the  battle  against  slavery;  he  had  been  a 
life-long  total  abstainer  and  prohibitionist.  He 
wished  to  have  the  party  named  the  Anti-Dram- 
shop party.  It  bore  that  name  in  New  York  for 
several  years.  Mr.  Smith  was  a  venerable  looking 
man,  with  an  abundance  of  white  hair  and  white 
whiskers,  and  was  at  that  time  about  seventy-five 
years  of  age. 

Among  others  were  Mr.  Stephen  Ransom  of 
New  Jersey,  Thomas  Cooper  of  Pennsylvania,  Dr. 
Jewett  of  Connecticut,  Gideon  T.  Stewart  of  Ohio, 
Dr.  William  Ross  of  Illinois,  Jonathan  Orne  of 
Massachusetts,  Hiram  Price  of  Iowa, — now  of 
Washington,  D.  C.,  and  president  of  the  National 
Anti-Saloon  League, — John  N.  Stearns  of  New 
York,  and  many  more  whom  Imight  mention. 


176  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

Those  in  favor  of  the  organization  of  a  political 
party  were  led  by  William  Ross  of  Illinois,  Gideon 
T.  Stewart  of  Ohio,  and  John  Russell  of  Michigan. 
The  opposition  was  led  by  Hiram  Price  of  Iowa, 
and  Dr.  Hatfield,  a  distinguished  Methodist  minister 
of  Chicago. 

Dr.  William  Ross  was  one  of  the  most  popular 
orators  I  ever  heard,  and  a  great  debater.  He  had 
been  a  temperance  lecturer  for  forty  years.  He 
was  an  Englishman  by  birth,  had  been  thoroughly 
educated,  and  had  studied  to  be  a  doctor.  About 
the  time  that  he  graduated,  a  tragedy  had  occurred 
which  caused  him  to  devote  his  lite  to  the  temper- 
ance cause.  He  had  a  beautiful  sister  who  had 
married  an  officer  in  the  English  army.  Either  the 
young  English  officer's  dissipated  life  had  broken 
her  heart  and  she  had  died  from  the  effects  of  it, 
or  he  had  murdered  her  outright;  I  don't  remember 
which,  now.  But  her  death  was  so  sad  that  the 
doctor  on  her  grave  swore  eternal  enmity  to  strong 
drink.  He  had  lectured  all  over  the  United  States 
and  Canada;  he  had  faced  mobs  without  number; 
he  had  been  shot,  stabbed  and  stoned ;  his  body 
was  covered  with  scars,  and  yet  at  the  age  of  sixty, 
when  I  met  him,  he  was  as  strong  as  a  lion  and  as 
handsome  as  Apollo.  It  was  worth  a  lifetime  to 
see  him  at  that  convention.  I  shall  never  forget  it. 

The  discussion  ended  at  midnight  on  the  2nd 
of  September,  1869,  and  was  declared  carried  by  a 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  177 

large  majority.  A  large  number  of  the  delegates 
had  been  converted  to  the  party  idea  by  the  dis- 
cussion. So  at  midnight,  September  2nd,  amid 
the  singing  of  "Praise  God  from  whom  all 
blessings  flow,"  by  a  thousand  persons,  the  Prohi- 
bition party  began  its  stormy  career. 

I  had  been  corresponding  with  Professor 
Wilkins,  with  the  view  of  going  to  Illinois  to  work 
for  the  Independent  Order  of  Good  Templars. 
That  was  the  beginning  of  a  friendship  and  an 
intimacy  that  lasted  for  more  than  a  quarter  of  a 
century. 

Professor  Wilkins  was  born  in  the  State  of  Ver- 
mont, of  humble  parentage,  yet  by  his  own  energy 
and  determination  had  achieved  a  fine  education, 
graduating  at  Oberlin  College,  and  taking  a  post- 
graduate course  at  the  State  University  of  Michigan, 
Ann  Arbor.  If  I  mistake  not,  he  was  one  of  the 
originators  and  founders  of  the  Wesleyan  College 
at  Bloomington,  and  was  for  a  long  time  one  of  its 
professors.  While  at  Oberlin  College  he  had 
imbibed  an  intense  hatred  of  slavery  and  the  liquor 
traffic.  He  early  identified  himself  with  the  Free 
Soil  party;  helped  to  organize  the  Republican 
party,  and  was  one  of  its  stanchest  supporters. 
He  helped  also  to  organize  the  Prohibition  party. 
He  early  became  identified  with  the  Order  of  Good 
Templars,  became  the  Grand  Chief  Templar  of  the 
State,  and  made  one  of  the  best  of  officers.  In 


178  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

1874  he  became  the  superintendent  of  the  inebriate 
asylum  in  Chicago,  known  as  the  Washingtonian 
Home,  and  for  eighteen  years  was  at  its  head. 
While  in  that  position  he  wrote  a  book  called 
"The  World's  Greatest  Curse."  From  a  scientific 
standpoint,  it  is  the  ablest  book  on  that  question 
ever  published.  He  was  a  man  of  the  broadest 
culture,  and  with  splendid  natural  abilities;  he 
should  have  been  one  of  the  most  noted  men  of  our 
country,  but  his  exceedingly  modest  and  retiring 
disposition  prevented.  He  had  been  very  happy  in 
his  marriage.  His  wife  was  a  beautiful,  cultivated 
woman,  who  entered  heartily  into  all  of  his  work, 
and  was  in  every  way  an  ideal  wife.  He  was  also 
the  founder  of  the  "Cold-Water  Templars,"  a 
juvenile  temperance  organization  that  now  num- 
bers two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  members. 
It  afterward  took  the  name  of  Juvenile  Templars. 
It  is  worked  in  connection  with  Good  Templary. 
Mr.  Wilkins  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
Church.  He  and  his  wife  professed  the  doctrine 
of  Christian  perfection,  and  in  the  twelve  years  that 
I  was  an  inmate  of  their  home,  I  never  saw  any- 
thing in  their  lives  that  was  inconsistent  with  their 
profession.  He  died  in  the  early  part  of  1894. 
At  the  time  of  his  death  he  was  seventy-three 
years  old.  His  wife  still  lives. 

It  was  exceedingly  fortunate  for  me,  I  think,  to 
have  known  these  good  people,  and  I  shall  remem- 
ber them  with  the  deepest  sense  of  gratitude  as 
long  as  I  live. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  179 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

The  Grand  Secretary — Other  leaders  of  the  Order — My  first  year's 
work  as  a  lecturer — Result  of  my  work. 

The  Grand  Secretary  was  J.  K.  Van  Dorn  of 
Quincy.  Mr.  Van  Dorn  had  been  a  lifelong 
worker  in  the  cause  of  reform.  He  was  born  in 
Massachusetts,  and  came  to  Quincy,  Illinois,  early 
in  life,  bringing  with  him  his  anti-slavery  ideas. 
Quincy,  Illinois,  was  rather  an  uncomfortable  place 
for  that  stamp  of  men  when  he  came  there  in  the 
early  thirties.  The  town  is  situated  on  the  Missis- 
sippi River.  Right  across  the  river  is  the  State  of 
Missouri,  then  a  slave  State,  and  the  town  of 
Quincy  at  that  time  was  composed  very  largely  of 
people  from  the  Southern  States;  so  an  abolitionist 
in  that  city  was  just  about  as  popular  as  a- leper 
would  be  :  and  yet,  though  a  young  business  man, 
he  boldly  proclaimed  his  abolitionism;  and  from  that 
time  on  his  house  became  a  depot  for  the  under- 
ground railroad.  The  way  of  working  the  under- 
ground railroad  was  for  the  slaves  to  come  across 
the  river  to  Mr.  Van  Dorn's  house,  and  Mr.  Van 
Dorn  would  secrete  them  until  he  could  convey 
them  fifteen  or  twenty  miles  toward  Canada,  to 
another  abolitionist;  and  that  abolitionist  would  do 
the  same  thing,  and  so  on.  He  told  me  once  that 


180     .  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

his  premises  had  been  searched  upon  an  average 
of  once  a  month  for  twenty  years,  for  runaway 
slaves;  but  they  never  succeeded  in  finding-  any, 
as  all  movements  of  the  authorities  were  closely 
watched  by  other  abolitionists,  whose  duty  it  was 
to  inform  him  of  any  danger.  For  ten  years  prior 
to  the  Civil  War  there  was  an  award  of  ten  thous- 
and dollars  on  his  head,  offered  by  the  authorities 
in  Missouri.  His  wife  used  to  playfully  say  that 
she  knew  where  at  any  time  she  could  get  ten 
thousand  dollars  for  her  husband,  which  was  more 
than  most  of  the  women  of  Quincy  could  say. 

And  yet,  wonderful  as  it  may  seem,  he  pros- 
pered in  business  and  accumulated  quite  a  fortune, 
which,  I  am  sorry  to  say,  was  very  largely  swept 
away  from  him  during  the  last  days  of  his  life  in 
the  panic  of  1873.  He  was  a  noble  man,  true  to 
his  convictions,  and  was  ready  to  die  for  them. 
He  was  Grand  Secretary  from  1867  until  1875, 
with  the  exception  of  a  single  year.  He  died  in 
May,  1875.  He  was  also  Right  Worthy  Grand 
Treasurer  for  several  years. 

Another  prominent  member  of  the  Grand 
Lodge  was  J.  W.  Nichols.  Mr.  Nichols  had  been 
one  of  the  earliest  workers  in  the  order;  was 
elected  to  the  head  of  the  order  when  but  thirty 
years  of  age.  He  was  a  man  of  decided  ability,  a 
fine,  logical  speaker,  and  a  successful  editor.  He 
is  now  living  in  Chicago. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  181 

I  was  given  a  district  of  fifteen  counties  in  which 
to  work.  My  business  was  to  lecture  in  behalf  of 
old  lodges,  to  organize  new  ones,  and  to  promote 
the  cause  of  temperance  generally.  I  was  so  suc- 
cessful in  my  work  that  I  was  engaged  for  another 
year  at  an  increased  salary,  and  elected  to  repre- 
sent the  Grand  Lodge  of  Illinois  in  the  Right 
Worthy  Grand  Lodge  that  met  that  year  in 
St.  Louis. 

The  order  now  numbered  half  a  million  mem- 
bers, and  the  work  everywhere  was  on  an  increase. 
Jonathan  Orne  of  Massachusetts  was  Right 
Worthy  Grand  Templar;  Julius  Spencer  of  Ohio 
was  still  Right  Worthy  Grand  Secretary.  We 
had  an  exceedingly  pleasant  session.  It  was  at 
this  session  that  I  met  for  the  first  time  two  young 
workers  about  my  age,  whom  I  became  very 
much  attached  to;  and  our  friendship  has  continued 
all  these  y.ears. 

J.  J.  Hickman  of  Kentucky  was  already  Grand 
Chief  Templar  of  that  State.  He  was,  I  think,  as 
handsome  a  man  as  I  ever  saw.  He  was  tall  and 
graceful,  his  eyes  were  large  and  black,  and  his 
hair  and  mustache  as  dark  as  a  raven's  wing.  He 
was  very  eloquent  in  speech;  his  voice  was  soft, 
sympathetic,  and  winning.  He  was  seven  times 
elected  Right  Worthy  Grand  Templar,  always  dis- 
charging his  duties  with  rare  fidelity  and  honor. 
But  his  great  power  was  upon  the  platform;  there 


1 82  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

he  was  king  and  without  a  peer.  He  is  still  living, 
but  has  been  quite  an  invalid  in  the  last  few 
years,  which  has  prevented  him  doing  much  work. 

And  it  was  here  also  that  I  met  Theodore  D. 
Kanouse,  then  of  Wisconsin.  Brother  Kanouse 
was  born,  I  think,  in  the  State  of  New  Jersey. 
His  father  was  a  Presbyterian  minister  of  eminence, 
his  mother  a  cultured  Christian  woman  of  great 
force  of  character.  She  had  twelve  sons,  and  they 
are  all  living  to-day,  I  think.  The  family  came  to 
Wisconsin  in  an  early  day,  where  they  have  always 
remained,  with  the  exception  of  Theodore.  When 
the  Civil  War  broke  out,  Theodore,  then  eighteen 
or  nineteen  years  of  age,  entered  the  army  and 
made  a  fine  record  for  bravery  and  devotion  to  duty. 
He  was  very  popular  with  his  comrades  for  his 
charming  personality. 

At  the  close  of  the  war  he  returned  home, 
where  shortly  after  he  became  interested  in  the 
Good  Templars:  and  then  began  his  career  in  that 
order;  one  that  has  never  been  excelled  by  anyone, 
and,  taking  it  all  in  all,  has  never  been  equaled. 
He  was  seventeen  times  elected  Grand  Chief 
Templar  of  Wisconsin,  four  times  Grand  Chief 
Templar  of  Dakota,  four  times  Grand  Chief  Templar 
of  California,  and  has  just  been  elected  for  the 
fifth  time.  He  was  once  elected,  or  chosen,  Right 
Worthy  Grand  Marshal;  once  Right  Worthy  Grand 
Counselor;  four  times  Right  Worthy  Grand 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  183 

Templar,  the  last  time  elected,  refusing  to  serve. 
He  is  a  natural-born  leader  of  men;  he  is  one  of 
those  remarkable  men  whom  men  love  to  follow  ; 
he  draws  them  to  him  with  hooks  of  steel.  He 
brought  the  order  in  Wisconsin  to  a  remarkable 
degree  of  efficiency,  that  excited  the  admiration 
of  all. 

He  is  not  only  powerful  as  a  leader,  but  power- 
ful as  a  speaker.  As  soon  as  he  is  introduced  to 
an  audience,  there  is  something  about  him  that 
at  once  wins  their  undivided  attention.  He  is  so 
manly,  so  true,  that  one  knowing  him  as  I  have 
for  all  of  these  years,  can  say  truly,  he  never  spoke 
an  unmanly  word  and  never  harbored  an  unworthy 
thought.  He  was  exceedingly  happy  in  his  marriage 
relations.  His  wife  was  a  noble,  cultured,  devoted 
woman,  fully  worthy  of  such  a  noble  husband.  In 
addition  to  his  Good  Templar  offices,  he  has  filled 
other  places  of  honor  in  civic  trusts:  secretary  of 
the  Board  of  Charity  of  Wisconsin  for  four  years, 
and  elected  member  of  Congress  from  the  State  of 
South  Dakota,*  and  also  warden  in  the  State's 
prison.  While  warden  of  the  State's  prison,  he 
conducted  it  on  the  humane  plan,  and  demonstrated 
the  efficiency  of  that  idea  in  treating  criminals. 

Mr.  Kanouse  is  now  living  at  Glendale,  Cali- 
fornia. He  is  an  elder  in  the  Presbyterian 


*  NOTE:—  South  Dakota  was  not  admitted  into  the  union  as  a  State 
at  that  time,  so  he  failed  to  be  seated. 


184  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

Church,  and  Superintendent  of  the  Sunday-school. 
He  is  a  deeply  religious  man.  During  his  serious 
spell  of  sickness  last  spring,  prayers  were  said  for 
him  in  the  churches  all  over  the  State:  such  is  the 
deep  love  and  affection  that  people  everywhere 
have  for  the  man. 

During  the  year  1870  I  took  a  trip  through  the 
South,  speaking  in  the  States  of  Georgia,  Missis- 
sippi, Louisiana,  Texas,  Alabama,  Florida,  and 
North  and  South  Carolina ;  and  this  trip  changed 
my  views  touching  some  matters  of  which  I  shall 
now  speak. 

When  I  came  out  of  the  army  I  attached 
myself  to  the  Republican  party,  as  I  believed  it 
was  the  more  progressive  of  the  two  parties, 
though  I  utterly  disapproved  of  the  bitter,  vindic- 
tive spirit  that  I  found  so  prevalent  in  the  Northern 
portion  ot  our  country.  That  such  a  spirit  should 
exist,  I  was  not  surprised;  but  that  good  and 
enlightened  men  should  seek  to  keep  it  alive  by 
making  inflammatory  speeches,  amazed  me. 

I  thought  that  the  negroes  in  the  South,  how- 
ever, should  be  enfranchised ;  but  that,  at  the  same 
time,  there  should  be  no  laws  enacted  discrimina- 
ting against  any  one  in  the  South  on  account  of  his 
participation  in  the  rebellion.  But  the  reconstruc- 
tion measure  went  still  further.  While  it  enfran- 
chised the  ignorant  masses  in  the  South,  it  prac- 
tically disfranchised  most  of  the  intelligent  ones. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  185 

In  the  words  of  Senator  Doolittle  of  Wisconsin,  it 
organized  hell  all  through  the  South.  I  found  that 
unprincipled  men  from  the  North  had  gone  down 
there  and  organized  the  black  people  to  fight  their 
late  masters  and  oppose  them  in  every  way.  In 
other  words,  it  set  the  two  races  at  each  other's, 
throats,  and  has  produced  a  feeling  between  the 
two  races  that  will  subside  God  only  knows  when : 
and  my  opinion  to-day  is  that  the  worst  pos- 
sible thing  that  could  have  befallen  the  colored 
people  was  their  universal  enfranchisement  at  the 
close  of  the  Civil  War;  and  this  is  the  view  taken, 
I  see,  by  Booker  T.  Washington,  and  other 
scholars  and  thinkers  of  the  colored  race. 

At  the  session  of  the  Grand  Lodge  in  1871,  I 
was  chosen  Grand  Worthy  Treasurer.  I  have 
always  refused  to  be  elected  to  office  in  the  order, 
with  the  exception  of  the  year  when  I  was  elected 
Grand  Worthy  Treasurer,  and  two  years  when  I 
served  as  Grand  Worthy  Counselor.  Each  time  I 
was  chosen  by  a  unanimous  vote:  such  was  the 
universal  desire  that  I  should  be  on  the  executive 
board.  I  have  no  taste  whatever  for  office  of  any 
kind — indeed,  an  actual  distaste  for  it ;  and  for  this 
reason  I  have  refused  again  and  again  any  position 
whatever,  except  the  times  above  mentione'd.  I 
am  satisfied  that  I  can  do  more  on  the  platform  for 
the  order  which  I  love  so  well,  than  anywhere  else. 
I  have  consented  to  be  elected  several  times  to  the 


1 86  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

Right  Worthy  Grand  Lodge,  for  the  reason  that  I 
am  deeply  interested  in  the  legislation  there  ;  yet 
I  have  repeatedly  declined  election,  excepting 
when  some  matter  of  the  greatest  importance  was 
coming  up. 

When  the  Grand  Lodge  met  in  Winona,  in 
1872,  a  crisis  had  arisen  for  our  order,  that  caused 
us  great  anxiety.  In  1867  the  Grand  Lodge  was 
induced  to  start  a  newspaper  in  Chicago,  that 
should  be  the  organ  of  the  order.  The  order  at 
that  time  numbered  forty  thousand  members  in  this 
State,  and  no  doubt  an  organ  was  needed;  but  it 
should  have  been  a  private  enterprise,  and  then  it 
would  have  received  all  the  diligence  and  care  of 
one  who  was  looking  after  his  own  personal 
interests.  A  publfcation  committee  of  five  mem- 
bers was  chosen  to  conduct  the  paper,  and  the 
result  was  that  cliques  grew  up  in  the  order,  with 
which  the  paper  took  sides.  A  fight  was  then 
made  about  the  paper,  and  the  result  was  a  debt  of 
twelve  thousand  dollars,  and  the  membership 
decreased  until,  when  we  met  in  Grand  Lodge  in 
that  year,  we  found  a  membership  of  about  thirty- 
five  hundred  and  a  debt  of  about  eight  thousand 
dollars.  A  proposition  was  even  made  to  repu- 
diate 'the  debt  altogether,  throw  up  the  charter, 
organize  under  a  new  charter,  and  thus  avoid  our 
just  obligations. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  187 

The  Grand  Worthy  Counselor  who  was  presid- 
ing at  that  session  stoutly  opposed  the  suggestion. 
He  said  such  an  action  would  be  disgraceful  in  the 
extreme.  He  said  it  could  be  paid,  and  should  be 
paid.  The  Grand  Lodge  took  him  at  his  word 
and  elected  him  Grand  Chief  Templar.  That 
man  was  Uriah  Copp.  I  had  fully  sympathized 
with  him  in  his  views,  so  I  immediately  went  to 
him  and  pledged  him  I  would  stand  by  him,  and 
we  would  pay  the  debt.  That  year  I  traveled 
nine  thousand  miles,  delivered  three  hundred  and 
fifty  lectures,  and  received  all  told  one  hundred 
and  forty-five  dollars.  This  paid  about  one-sixth 
of  my  traveling  expenses.  We  did  not  accomplish 
a  great  deal  the  first  year ;  but  we  stopped  the 
downward  course  and  began  to  increase  our  mem- 
bership, and  in  four  years'  time  every  dollar  of  the 
debt  had  been  paid,  and  our  membership  had  more 
than  doubled. 

I  wish  to  say  a  few  words  in  regard  to  this 
worthy  brother.  He  was  born  in  New  Hampshire, 
and  comes  of  that  strong  Puritan  stock  that  has 
given  to  our  country  so  many  grand  charac- 
ters. He  was  educated  at  Hamilton  College, 
New  York;  studied  law  at  the  law  school  at 
Albany,  where  Roscoe  Conkling,  the  celebrated 
statesman,  was  the  dean.  After  graduating,  he 
came  West  and  settled  in  Loda,  Illinois,  where  he 
began  the  practice  of  law.  He  was  an  active, 


1 88  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

Christian  man;  a  member  of  the  Congregational 
Church.  In  politics  he  was  a  stanch  Democrat; 
indeed  he  was  stanch  in  everything  that  he- 
believed  in  or  professed.  At  the  outbreak  of  the 
Civil  War  he  joined  the  army  as  a  lieutenant  in 
one  of  the  Illinois  batteries.  He  served  about  a 
year,  when  he  had  a  severe  attack  of  inflammatory 
rheumatism,  rendering  him  unfit  for  duty,  and  he 
was  mustered  out.  He  had  always  taken  a  deep 
interest  in  the  cause  of  temperance,  and  when  the 
lodge  of  Good  Templars  was  organized  in  his 
town  in  1860  or  '61,  he  was  one  of  its  charter 
members.  That  lodge  has  remained  upon  our 
rolls  to  this  day,  largely  through  the  influence  and 
exertions  of  brother  Copp. 

In  1867  he  returned  to  New  England  and  was 
gone  for  some  weeks,  when  he  brought  home  as 
his  wife  one  of  the  most  beautiful  and  accomplished 
women  I  ever  saw.  She  is  a  highly  intellectual 
woman,  versed  in  all  the  literature  of  the  day,  a 
thoroughly  devoted  wife,  and  a  splendid  mother. 

I  met  him  for  the  first  time  in  1870  in  Grand 
Lodge,  and  from  that  time  to  this  our  friendship 
has  been  of  the  closest  kind.  He  was  for  some 
eight  or  nine  years  Right  Worthy  Grand  Treas- 
urer. Whatever  position  he  has  filled,  from  the 
most  unimportant  office  in  the  subordinate  lodge, 
to  the  most  important  office  in  the  international 


Uriah  Copp,  Jr. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  189 

lodge,  he  has  always  discharged  his  duties  with  the 
same  fidelity  and  strictness. 

He  was  a  man  of  the  rarest  integrity.  After 
knowing  him  for  more  than  thirty  years  so  inti- 
mately, I  do  not  believe  it  would  be  possible  for 
Uriah  Copp  to  falsify  or  deviate  one  hair's  breadth 
from  the  path  of  rectitude  and  right.  I  would  trust 
him  as  I  would  an  angel.  He  was  a  man  so  strong 
and  brave  that  I  have  seen  him  under  the  most 
trying  circumstances,  yet  he  never  would  give 
an  inch  to  what  he  thought  was  wrong  or  unjust. 
And  yet  he  was  shrewd  in  his  actions,  and  it  would 
be  impossible  to  circumvent  him  in  any  way.  He 
was  so  stalwart  in  all  his  convictions,  that  his  posi- 
tion upon  any  question  at  any  time  was  always 
known.  When  he  entered  the  Right  Worthy  Grand 
Lodge,  he  was  so  careful  for  the  funds  of  the  order 
that  it  gave  a  general  impression  that  he  was 
penurious,  and  yet  nothing  could  be  further  from  the 
truth.  He  had  the  idea,  derived  from  his  New 
England  training,  of  carefulness  for  every  penny  of 
money;  but  when  he  was  assured  that  it  would  be 
worthily  used,  he  was  liberal  in  the  extreme. 

It  was  worth  one's  while  to  spend  time  in 
his  society.  He  was  so  strong  and  invigorating 
that  one  went  forth  from  him  feeling  stronger  to 
perform  every  duty  of  life.  He  was  powerful  on 
the  floor  as  a  debater,  generally  winning  his  case 
in  every  issue  he  ever  made,  either  in  the  Grand 


1 90  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

Lodge  or  the  Supreme  Lodge.  During  the  twenty- 
seven  years  that  he  was  Grand  Chief  Templar,  in 
the  many  appealed  cases  which  he  had  to  decide, 
he  never  had  a  case  reversed  either  by  the  Grand 
Lodge  or  the  Supreme  body.  It  is  a  record 
never  equaled  by  any  other  Grand  Chief  Templar 
in  our  body.  During  the  entire  twenty-seven 
years  that  Mr.  Copp  was  Grand  Chief  Templar, 
he  absolutely  refused  to  receive  one  single  penny 
of  compensation,  yet  he  traveled  thousands  of 
miles  each  year  and  spent  more  than  half  of  his 
time  in  the  field.  He  declined  a  reelection  at  the 
recent  session,  carrying  with  him  the  love  and 
esteem  of  the  entire  body. 

In  the  latter  part  of  1873,  I  read  in  one  of  the 
daily  papers  that  in  Washington  Court  House, 
Ohio,  the  women  were  undertaking  to  pray  the 
saloon-keepers  out  of  their  business.  I  laughed  at 
the  idea,  and  little  did  I  think  at  the  time  of  the 
mighty  movement  of  which  it  was  the  prelude.  It 
went  on  from  town  to  town,  city  to  city,  until  it 
eventuated  in  the  organization  of  the  Woman's 
Christian  Temperance  Union. 

The  following  year  it  began  to  take  shape  in 
the  more  organized  form,  and  a  convention  was 
called  to  meet  in  the  city  of  Bloomington,  Illinois. 
It  was  held  in  the  old  Methodist  church.  I 
remember  sitting  in  the  gallery  with  a  friend  of 
mine,  watching  their  movements.  The  women 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  191 

were  so  awkward  in  their  attempt  to  do  business, 
yet  so  devout  in  spirit.  I  remember  a  friend  ask- 
ing me  what  I  thought  would  come  of  it.  "Oh!" 
I  said,  "something  will  come  of  it ;  some  good  will 
be  accomplished."  But  little  did  I  think  of  the 
mighty,  wonderful  good  it  was  destined  to  accom- 
plish. 

The  Right  Worthy  Grand  Lodge  of  Good 
Templars  also  assembled  that  year  in  the  city  of 
Bloomington.  The  body  had  now  become  inter- 
national: there  was  not  only  the  United  States  and 
Canada  represented,  but  England,  Scotland, 
Ireland,  Wales,  Australia,  New  Zealand,  and  Tas- 
mania. The  prime  minister  of  New  Zealand  headed 
the  New  Zealand  delegation.  J.  J.  Hickman  was 
Right  Grand  Templar;  Joseph  Malins  of  England 
was  Right  Grand  Counselor ;  Rev.  George 
Gladstone  of  Scotland,  the  brother  of  the  celebrated 
statesman,  William  E.  Gladstone,  headed  the 
Scotland  delegation,  and  was  Right  Grand  Chaplain. 
Joseph  Malins  was  Grand  Chief  Templar  of 
England,  an -office  that  he  has  held  since  1871,  and 
at  this  time  he  is  at  the  head  of  the  entire  order. 

Brother  Malins  is  a  remarkable  man.  Com- 
ing from  the  humble  walks  of  life,  being  a 
painter  by  trade,  he  came  to  America  in  1869; 
first  to  Canada,  then  to  the  United  States.  Shortly 
after  his  arrival  in  the  United  States  he  became 
a  member  of  our  order.  He  became  very  much 


192  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

enthused  with  it.  Circumstances  drew  him  back 
to  England,  where  he  secured  a  commission  and 
organized  the  first  lodge  in  England.  The  order 
spread  very  rapidly  throughout  England,  Scotland, 
Ireland,  and  Wales;  then,  through  his  instru- 
mentality, throughout  all  the  British  Provinces. 
He  proved  to  be  just  the  man  for  the  time  and  for 
the  work.  He  is  the  great  temperance  missionary 
of  the  world;  for  it  has  been  through  his  instru- 
mentality that  the  order  has  not  only  been  pushed 
in  all  the  British  Provinces,  but  on  the  Continent  of 
Europe,  through  all  Scandinavia  and  Germany, 
and  into  the  armies  and  navies  of  the  United 
States  and  England.  When  we  contemplate  what 
Mr.  Malins  has  done,  it  only  shows  what  one 
person  who  is  possessed  with  an  idea  can  do. 
Mr.  Malins  is  almost  idolized  by  the  order  in  those 
countries. 

At  the  session  in  Bloomington,  an  amendment 
was  made  to  the  constitution  of  the  Supreme  body, 
by  which  additional  grand  lodges  could  be  organ- 
ized in  territories  already  occupied,  by  the  consent 
of  the  parent  Grand  Lodge.  This  caused  a  good 
deal  of  dissatisfaction  in  the  delegation  from 
England,  Scotland,  Ireland,  and  Wales,  and  almost 
caused  a  rupture  of  the  body,  and  laid  the  founda- 
tion for  the  trouble  the  year  after. 

The  next  year  the  session  was  held  at  Louis- 
ville, Kentucky,  J.  J.  Hickman,  presiding. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  193 

The  trouble  arose  over  this  question:  When 
the  order  was  introduced  into  the  South,  just  at  the 
close  of  the  war,  of  course  the  colored  man  was  not 
thought  of.  The  union  of  the  two  races  in  this 
country  in  one  order  is  wholly  impracticable.  In  the 
Northern  States,  where  the  colored  population  was 
small,  separate  lodges  had  been  organized  for  the 
negroes  in  some  places;  and  possibly  in  some 
places,  where  only  a  few  families  lived,  two  or  three 
colored  persons  might  have  been  admitted  to 
white  lodges.  But  the  presence  of  a  colored  per- 
son in  a  Lodge  of  Good  Templars  in  the  South 
would  have  been  like  a  bomb  of  nitroglycerin, 
and  would  have  blown  the  institution  sky-high. 
Our  friends  in  the  South,  in  order  that  the  black 
population  might  be  reached,  had  organized  a  sepa- 
rate organization  amongst  them,  with  a  simpler 
form  of  ceremony  and  ritual,  that  was  more  suited 
to  them  in  their  condition.  (In  Europe,  where  the 
negro  is  hardly  ever  seen,  of  course  there  is  very 
little  or  no  prejudice  against  him.) 

Immediately  after  the  opening  of  the  session, 
brother  Malins  presented  an  amendment  to  the 
constitution,  that  declared  that  wherever  the  order 
was  denied  to  any  race  or  people,  that  as  far  as 
that  people  was  concerned,  it  should  be  considered 
unoccupied  territory,  and  that  any  grand  lodge 
could  mission  the  territory  ;  the  meaning  of  which 
was  that  brother  Malins  could  go  into  that  territory 


194  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

and  organize  his  lodges  among  the  colored  people. 

Brother  Oronhyatekha  offered  as  a  substitute 
for  Malin's  amendment  what  is  known  as 
Oronhyatekha's  amendment.  It  declared  that  the 
Order  ot  Good  Templars  was  intended  for  all,  and 
that  where  a  charter  was  refused  solely  because 
the  applicants  were  people  of  color,  it  should  be 
considered  a  violation  of  their  trust,  and  that  the 
charter  of  the  grand  lodge  so  refusing  should  be 
revoked. 

This  substitute  was  adopted.  Whereupon  the 
delegations  from  England,  Scotland,  Ireland,  and 
Wales,  and  some  of  the  British  Provinces,  withdrew; 
and  this  schism  also  had  some  sympathy  in  our  own 
country,  but  to  a  limited  extent.  It  led  to  a  long 
war  between  the  two  sections  of  the  order,  which 
lasted  until  1887,  when  the  order  reunited.  The 
result  of  this  secession  matter  was  this  :  that  the 
lodges  which  had  been  existing  among  the  colored 
people  in  the  Southern  States  were  abandoned.  Our 
order  had  been  exceedingly  popular  in  the 
South,  and  included  some  of  the  foremost  citizens, 
who,  regarding  the  adoption  of  the  Oronhyatekha 
amendment  as  a  threat  that  they  must  admit  the 
colored  man  into  their  lodges,  or  their  charters 
would  be  revoked,  many  of  them  withdrew  from 
the  order;  so  that  only  a  skeleton  remained  of 
our  once  powerful  body  in  that  part  of  the  country. 
And  at  the  time  of  the  reunion,  in  1887,  brother 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  195 

Malins  candidly  confessed  his  inability  to  establish 
the  order  among  the  colored  people  of  the  South, 
and  said  he  had  spent  fifteen  thousand  dollars  in 
gold  in  the  Southern  States,  and  had  only  eighteen 
hundred  members  to  show  for  it. 

This  shows  that  reformers  should  be  practical, 
like  other  people,  and  adapt  themselves  to  the 
situation  as  they  find  it. 

In  June,  1875,  I  attended  the  National  Temper- 
ance Convention  that  was  held  in  Farwell  Hall, 
Chicago.  It  was  presided  over  by  Hiram  Price  of 
Iowa.  It  was  a  very  interesting,  and  yet  stormy, 
session.  The  issue  was  between  the  friends  of 
independent  political  action  and  those  who  were 
opposed. 

It  was  here  that  I  saw  Dr.  Ross  for  the  last 
time.  I  never  saw  him  looking  better,  and  he  was 
very  active ;  he  took  a  leading  part  in  the  debates, 
and  gave  every  evidence  of  many  years  of  useful- 
ness, yet  he  died  the  following  December  of 
Bright's  disease,  at  the  age  of  sixty-three  years. 

It  was  here,  too,  that  I  met  for  the  first  time 
Miss  Frances  Willard.  She  was  the  chairman  of 
the  enrolling  committee.  I  saw  that  she  had  my 
name  wrong,  so  I  went  to  her  to  have  the  correc- 
tion made.  I  had  heard  of  her  before  as  an 
educator.  It  was  under  these  circumstances  that 
an  acquaintance  began  which  lasted  through  her 
lifetime.  She  was  at  that  time  about  thirty-five 


196  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

years  of  age,  and  was  just  beginning  a  career 
which  made  her  immortal.  Her  personality  was 
very  charming.  It  is  said  of  Queen  Elizabeth 
that  at  court  she  was  full  of  her  foibles  and  flirta- 
tions and  vanities,  but  that  when  she  entered  the 
council  room  she  laid  them  all  aside,  and  was 
every  bit  a  sovereign  and  a  stateswoman.  Miss 
Willard's  heart  was  always  a  girl's  heart,  full  of 
love,  affection,  and  sentiment ;  but  her  head  was 
always  the  head  of  a  stateswoman.  She  had 
singular  powers  on  the  platform;  she  never  seemed 
to  me  to  be  a  great  orator,  and  I  have  seen  many 
that  seemed  her  superior,  but  with  Webster's 
definition  of  what  constitutes  an  orator,  she  was 
unexcelled.  She  could  move  and  convince  an 
audience  as  I  have  never  known  any  one  else  to  do. 
At  the  National  Prohibition  Convention  at 
Indianapolis,  I  saw  an  example  of  her  wonderful 
power.  There  was  a  great  deal  of  division  of  sen- 
timent in  our  party  as  to  the  advisability  of  putting 
woman  suffrage  into  the  platform.  The  conven- 
tion was  composed  of  about  fourteen  hundred  dele- 
gates, and  they  were  nearly  equally  divided  on 
that  question  when  we  met.  Those  of  us  who 
were  in  favor  of  putting  it  in  our  platform  only 
claimed  forty  or  fifty  majority.  She  addressed 
the  convention  the  first  night  on  that  subject, 
and  took  it  by  storm.  So,  when  the  final 
vote  was  taken  on  the  question  in  the  convention, 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  197 

there  was  hardly  enough  left  of  the  opposition  to 
be  counted. 

I  was  very  much  attached  to  Miss  Willard,  and 
when  her  death  was  announced,  I,  with  thousands 
of  others  who  had  known  her  and  loved  her,  wept 
at  the  bereavement.  I  was  one  of  the  pall-bearers 
at  her  funeral.  It  was  a  bitter  cold  day  in  the 
middle  of  February.  Her  body  lay  in  state  at 
Willard  Hall.  Thousands  stood  on  the  streets  all 
day — men  and  women,  old  and  young,  rich  and 
poor — to  get  a  chance  to  look  upon  the  face  of  one 
who  loved  everyone,  and  had  worked  for  everyone 
with  all  the  energy  of  a  great  soul. 

In  this  National  Temperance  Convention,  where 
I  first  met  Miss  Willard,  she  introduced  a  resolu- 
tion declaring  that  where  the  question  was  one  ol 
temperance  alone,  that  women  should  have  the 
ballot.  The  resolution  was  adopted,  but  it  caused 
a  hot  discussion,  many  women  opposing  it,  declar- 
ing they  could  do  all  they  wanted  to  do  by  prayer 
alone. 

During  the  discussion  the  celebrated  Anna 
Dickinson  was  seen  in  the  convention,  and  was 
called  upon  to  speak.  She  began  by  saying  that 
she  was  not  a  member  of  the  convention,  and  was 
not  in  sympathy  at  all  with  the  object  of  the  con- 
vention; yet  in  this  question  of  suffrage  she  had  a 
good  deal  of  interest.  She  said  that  one  lady  had 
said  that  she  didn't  care  for  the  ballot,  that  she 


ip8  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

could  do  more  with  prayer.  She  said:  "Let  us 
illustrate  that  point.  Supposing  there  was  a  certain 
town  where  the  liquor  question  was  an  issue,  and 
the  temperance  people  should  meet  in  convention 
and  nominate  a  ticket,  and  the  liquor  men  should 
also  nominate  a  ticket;  but  when  election  day 
came,  the  liquor  men  would  go  to  the  polls  and 
vote  for  their  ticket,  and  the  temperance  men, 
instead  of  going  to  the  polls,  would  go  to  the 
church  and  pray  for  their  ticket,  instead  of  voting  : 
which  ticket,  in  the  judgment  of  this  convention, 
would  be  elected?"  The  convention  saw  the 
point,  cheered  lustily,  and  adopted  the  resolution. 
In  the  spring  of  1876,  as  chairman  of  the  Pro- 
hibition State  Committee  of  Illinois,  I  called  the 
convention  to  meet  in  Chicago,  to  nominate  a 
State  and  electoral  ticket.  The  Prohibitionists 
already  had  a  ticket  in  the  field  for  President. 
Green  Clay  Smith  of  Kentucky  had  been  nomi- 
nated for  President,  and  Professor  Thompson  of 
Ohio  for  Vice-President.  The  convention  was  to 
be  a  mass  convention:  just  ten  persons  came.  I 
took  them  to  a  Good  Templar  hall,  at  310  West 
Madison  Street,  and  locked  the  door  to  keep  the 
reporters  out,  so  they  would  not  make  fun  of  us 
through  the  papers.  We  proceeded  to  nominate 
a  full  ticket,  with  Dr.  James  F.  Simpson  of  Greene 
County  for  governor.  Every  man  in  the  conven- 
tion was  nominated  for  something.  It  was  a  very 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  199 

harmonious  convention.  There  was  no  caucusing 
nor  trades  nor  combines ;  it  was  an  ideal  con- 
vention. 

That  night  at  my  boarding-house  (I  was  then 
living  in  Chicago),  a  reporter  of  the  Tribune  found 
me  and  said  he  had  been  hunting  for  our  conven- 
tion all  day.  I  laughingly  told  him  I  didn't  doubt 
it;  that  had  it  been  a  Democratic  or  Republican 
convention,  he  would  have  known  just  where  to 
look  for  it — adjacent  to  some  liquor  saloon  or  beer- 
garden.  He  wanted  to  know  where  we  met.  I 
told  him  at  Garden  City  Hall. 

He  said,  "Why,  that  is  not  a  large  hall." 

I  told  him  it  was  not  a  large  convention.  He 
wanted  to  know  what  we  did.  I  gave  him  a  list  of 
our  candidates  nominated,  the  new  State  central 
committee  appointed,  and  resolutions  adopted. 
Then  he  asked  a  question  that  I  didn't  want  him 
to  ask,  and  that  was,  how  many  delegates  there 
were  in  the  convention. 

I  said,  "What  number?" 

He  said,  "Yes." 

I  said,  "Three  hundred  and  ten;"  that  was  the 
number  of  the  street  where  the  convention  was 
held. 

So  the  next   morning   the    Tribune   had  it  in 
great  head-lines:   "The  Prohibitionists  hold  a  State 
Convention  and  nominate  a  full  ticket.     Three  hun 
dred    and    ten    delegates    attended."     But    what 


200  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

amazed  me  was  who  had  misinformed  the  reporter 
as  to  the  number  of  delegates.  But  as  the  state- 
ment was  of  such  slight  importance,  I  did  not  think 
it  worth  while  to  correct  it;  so  I  let  it  go. 

That  fall  our  Grand  Lodge  of  Good  Templars 
met  in  the  city  of  Abingdon.  Brother  Copp  was 
reelected  Grand  Chief  Templar.  Brother  Cyrus 
W.  Bassett  was  chosen  Grand  Secretary. 

The  years  of  1877  and  1878  witnessed  a  great 
upheaval  throughout  the  country  in  behalf  of  the 
temperance  reform.  It  was  led  by  Francis 
Murphy  and  Dr.  Henry  A.  Reynolds. 

Francis  Murphy  was  born  in  Ireland.  When  a 
young  boy  he  came  to  this  country,  became  dissi- 
pated, and  finally  became  a  saloon-keeper.  While 
keeping  a  saloon  he  got  into  some  trouble,  and  was 
sent  to  jail.  While  in  jail  he  was  converted,  and 
when  he  came  out  began  his  career  as  a  tem- 
perance lecturer.  His  keen  Irish  wit  and  intense 
earnestness  made  him  a  success  from  the  beginning. 
I  think  he  began  his  temperance  work  in  about 
1874.  His  mode  of  work  was  with  the  blue  ribbon ; 
that  is,  he  would  have  men  sign  the  pledge  and 
then  wear  a  bow  of  blue  ribbon;  so  it  was  called 
the  "Blue-ribbon  Movement."  He  had  worked 
some  two  or  three  years  this  way  with  great  success : 
but  in  1877  the  real  boom  started,  and  soon  the 
country  was  aflame  with  it;  and  in  two  years 
millions  had  signed  this  pledge.  This  brought 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  201 

into  the  field  a  large  number  of  new  workers — 
reformed  men.  The  most  notable  among  them 
were  R.  W.  Crampton  of  Illinois,  A.  C.  Campbell 
of  Illinois,  C.  J.  Holt  of  Illinois  (Mr.  Holt  is  still 
actively  at  work  in  the  cause),  George  W.  Woodford 
of  Illinois,  James  Dunn  of  Pennsylvania,  and  others 
I  might  speak  of.  And  the  cause  of  temperance 
received  an  impetus  that  was  felt  in  all  the  ramifi- 
cations of  life. 

Dr.  Reynolds  came  of  a  different  strata.  A 
thorough,  educated  gentleman,  by  profession  a 
doctor,  he  had  become  addicted  to  strong  drink; 
and  upon  reformation  began  his  work  the  same  as 
Mr.  Murphy.  Their  pledges  were  identical,  but 
Dr.  Reynolds  used  the  red  ribbon.  The  men  and 
modes  were  entirely  different.  Mr.  Murphy  in  his 
style  of  speaking  was  fiery,  vehement,  electrifying. 
Tears  and  laughter  characterized  his  meetings, 
which  were  carried  on  in  the  old  revival  style. 
Mr.  Reynolds  spoke  calmly,  dispassionately,  with- 
out any  excitement  whatever,  using  none  of  the 
claptrap  of  the  revivalists,  but  appealing  to  people's 
reason;  and  yet  his  success  was  just  as  pronounced 
as  Mr.  Murphy's. 

Mr.  Murphy  is  still  living,  and  at  work  in  the 
good  cause.  His  two  bright  sons,  Thomas  and 
Edwar,d,  have  been  very  successful  workers  in  the 
cause. 


202  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

Mr.  Reynolds  is  still  alive,  residing  in  Michi- 
gan, editing  a  paper.  He  is  an  ardent  Prohibi- 
tionist, he  and  his  paper  supporting  at  the  last 
presidential  election  Mr.  Bentley,  the  free-silver 
Prohibition  candidate. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  203 


CHAPTER  XX. 

Kentucky — George  W.  Bain — T.  B.  Demaree — Progress  of  the  work 
during  1878  and  1879 — My  marriage — Work  in  Wisconsin — Right  Worthy 
Grand  Lodge  of  Good  Templars  1879,  etc. 

Kentucky  is  a  State,  it  is  said,  noted  for  its 
handsome  women,  good  whiskey,  and  fast  horses. 
I  think  I  will  change  that  a  little,  and  say  Ken- 
tucky is  celebrated  for  its  handsome  women,  its 
brilliant  men,  and  fine 'horses;  for,  surely,  I  never 
traveled  in  a  State  where  I  met  so  many  fine- 
looking  ladies  as  in  Kentucky ;  and  what  noble 
sons  she  has  given  to  the  nation!  Henry  Clay, 
John  J.  Crittenden,  Abraham  Lincoln,  George  W. 
Bain,  J.  J.  Hickman,  T.  B.  Demaree,  and  J.  T.  Long. 

I  met  George  W.  Bain  the  first  time  at  the 
Bloomington  session  of  the  Right  Worthy  Grand 
Lodge,  in  1875.  He  was  probably  at  that  time  about 
thirty-two  or  thirty-three  years  of  age.  It  seems 
that  he  never  attempted  to  speak  in  public  until 
after  he  was  thirty  years  of  age.  I  do  not  know 
what  his  occupation  was  prior  to  that  time.  It  is 
said  that  he  had  won  a  reputation  for  being  the 
best  superintendent  of  Sunday-schools  in  Lexing- 
ton, his  home.  The  first  time  that  he  ever  spoke 
in  public  was  at  a  Good  Templar  picnic.  Other 
speakers  had  spoken,  and  some  one  insisted  that 


204  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

Bain  should  get.  up  and  talk.  They  finally  suc- 
ceeded in  getting  him  out,  and  he  made  such  a 
success  of  it  that  he  had  calls  from  other 
points,  and  his  reputation  was  soon  made.  Cer- 
tainly for  the  last  twenty  years  he  has  been  recog- 
nized as  one  of  our  foremost  orators.  I  do 
not  know  of  anyone  more  popular  than  he.  His 
eloquence  is  as  genial  as  the  sunshine.  Of  all  the 
orators  that  we  have  to-day  upon  the  platform,  in 
my  opinion  very  few  equal  him,  and  none  excel  him. 
A  gentleman  connected  with  one  of  our  lecture 
bureaus,  a  few  weeks  ago  told  me  that  he  could 
supply  Bain  with  all  the  dates  he  could  use  dur- 
ing the  year,  at  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars 
a  night,  provided  he  would  agree  to  let  the 
liquor  traffic  alone.  But  he  will  not  do  that.  He 
hates  the  traffic  so  badly  that,  whatever  subject  he 
speaks  upon,  he  will  always  give  it  a  dig.  Know- 
ing Mr.  Bain  as  I  do,  I  believe  he  would  prefer 
this  liberty  at  sixty  dollars  a  night,  rather  than 
to  speak  for  a  thousand  dollars  a  night  without 
the  liberty  to  speak  out.  George  W.  Bain's  name 
will  stand  high  in  the  annals  of  our  country  in  all 
ages  to  come,  for  the  noble  work  he  has  done  in 
the  temperance  cause. 

Colonel  T.  B.  Demaree  is  another  one  of  Ken- 
tucky's sons  who  has  been  one  of  our  most  indefat- 
igable workers  in  the  temperance  field.  As  an 
organizer  he  is  a  marvel.  He  has  been  the  Grand 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  205 

Chief  Templar  of  Kentucky  for  many  years,  also 
Right  Worthy  Grand  Counselor. 

Brother  J.  T.  Long  is  another  one  of  Ken- 
tucky's successful  workers.  Brother  Long  entered 
the  work  during  the  period  of  the  ribbon  uprising, 
and  his  first  work  was  along  that  line.  Finding 
out  afterward  that  the  temperance  work  needed  a 
closer  organization,  he  entered  the  Good  Templar 
field,  and  in  that  field  his  success  has  been  marked. 
He  has  spoken  in  nearly  all  of  the  States  in  the 
Union,  never  failing  of  success.  He  is  very  hand- 
some in  person,  probably  six  feet,  two  or  three 
inches  high,  weighing  perhaps  two  hundred  and 
twenty-five  pounds.  Wherever  he  might  go,  his 
presence  would  command  respect.  He  is  a  mag- 
nificent speaker,  always  holding  his  audience 
enthralled,  and  winning  them  with  his  eloquence. 

The  years  of  1877-79  were  the  most  profit- 
able years  for  the  temperance  cause  along  all 
lines.  All  the  .temperance  organizations  were 
putting  forth  their  utmost  endeavor,  and  old  King 
Alcohol  was  everywhere  pushed  to  the  wall.  My 
work  during  those  years  was  in  the  State  of  Illi- 
nois. Other  States  called  for  me,  but  I  chose  to 
remain  in  this  State,  working  for  the  Order  of 
Good  Templars. 

On  June  3rd,  1879,  I  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Lydia  Gertrude  Lemen.  Miss  Lemen  was 
born  in  Salem,  Marion  County,  Illinois, January  2nd, 


206  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

1851.  She  was  educated  in  the  public  schools 
of  Salem,  studied  a  few  years  in  the  Young  Ladies' 
Seminary  of  that  town,  and  graduated  at  Elmira 
College,  Greenville,  Illinois,  in  the  class  of  1876. 

Her  father  I  never  met,  as  he  had  died  a  year 
or  two  before  I  became  acquainted  with  the  family. 
He  was  said  to  be  a  man  of  sterling  worth  and  deep 
piety,  and  a  member  of  the  Baptist  Church. 

Mrs.  Lemen  was  one  of  the  greatest  and  best 
women  I  ever  knew.  She  was  born,  I  think,  in 
Massachusetts,  raised  in  New  Hampshire,  andgrad- 
uated  from  New  Hampton  Academy,  I  think  about 
1832.  She  was  brought  West  to  work  in  behalf 
of  the  educational  interests  of  the  Baptist  Church. 
She  was  one  of  the  founders  of  Shurtleff  College,  at 
Alton,  Illinois,  and  one  of  its  first  instructors,  being 
the  first  of  her  sex  that  ever  held  that  position  in 
this  country,  and,  perhaps,  in  the  world.  She  was 
for  years  the  preceptress  of  the  Young  Ladies'  Sem- 
inary, at  Salem,  Illinois,  and  was  compelled  to 
retire  from  that  institution  on  account  of  her  pro- 
nounced anti-slavery  views.  She  was  an  original 
abolitionist  of  the  Wendell  Phillips  school,  and  of 
course  a  prohibitionist.  She  worked  for  every 
good  cause;  she  hated  every  evil.  The  weak  and 
the  oppressed  always  found  in  her  a  friend ;  whether 
they  were  white  or  black,  red  or  yellow,  learned  or 
ignorant,  good  or  bad,  it  was  all  the  same  to  her. 
She  could  only  see  the  man  and  the  woman,  and 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  207 

she  was  ready  to  help  them.  The  last  years  ol 
her  life  were  spent  very  largely  in  the  temperance 
work.  In  the  summer  before  she  died,  though  she 
was  eighty-three  at  the  time,  she  was  president  of 
the  county  Woman's  Christian  Temperance  Union, 
teacher  in  the  Sunday-school,  secretary  of  the  For- 
eign Missionary  Society,  a  correspondent  of  many 
religious  and  temperance  papers,  teacher  of  a  pri- 
vate school,  and  spent  a  part  of  her  time  lecturing 
on  temperance.  She  so  impressed  her  personality 
on  her  children  that  they  all  believed  what  she 
believed,  and  are  working  for  that  to  which  she 
devoted  her  life.  She  died  January  12th,  1892, 
at  the  age  of  eighty-three  years  and  eight  months. 

Her  family  consisted  of  three  children.  The 
oldest  daughter,  Mrs.  Helen  Denny,  is  a  leading 
woman  of  the  Woman's  Christian  Temperance 
Union,  and  a  lecturer  of  great  acceptability.  She 
has  lectured  in  every  part  of  the  Union.  Her  hus- 
band, Colonel  W.  N.  Denny,  is  a  leading  man  in 
Indiana,  a  veteran  of  the  Civil  War. 

The  son,  Rev.  J.  G.  Lemen,  after  graduating 
at  Harvard  University,  began  the  practice  of  law; 
then  became  a  minister,  and  then  a  journalist. 
He  is  now  at  the  head  of  the  Christian  Home, 
Council  Bluffs,  Iowa.  That  institution  is  con- 
ducted upon  the  George  Muller  plan  of  England, 
depending  entirely  upon  the  gifts  that  God  in 
some  mysterious  way  bestows  upon  it.  Gifts  come 


2o8  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

in  all  the  way  from  one  penny  to  five  thousand 
dollars.  He  began  his  work  with  a  house  of  one 
story  and  a  half;  he  has  now  thirty  cottages,  a 
chapel,  and  other  buildings,  with  more  than  three 
hundred  inmates,  coming  from  almost  all  of  the 
States  of  the  Union.  Mr.  Lemen  is  a  man  of  great 
ability — minister,  doctor,  lawyer,  orator,  philan- 
thropist, and  reformer. 

The  fruit  of  our  marriage  has  been  two  chil- 
dren. Mary,  the  older,  is  nineteen.  She  has 
been  for  two  years  a  student  at  Forest  Park  Uni- 
versity, St.  Louis  ;  one  year  at  the  Stevens  Col- 
lege, at  Columbia,  Missouri.  She  is  a  beautiful 
girl,  all  that  her  father's  heart  could  desire. 

My  boy,  John,  was  born  October  3rd,  1882; 
died  April  5th,  1895.  He  was  a  beautiful  boy, 
my  pride  and  joy.  His  head  was  all  covered  with 
ten  thousand  clustering  curls;  he  had  large  black 
eyes.  The  boy  was  in  every  way  as  beautiful  as  a 
poet's  dream.  He  was  a  great  student,  .and  loved 
books.  Before  he  was  twelve  years  old  he  had  the 
reputation  in  our  little  town  of  being  the  best 
posted  in  history  of  anyone  in  the  town.  He  was 
naturally  very  religious.  He  died  at  his  uncle's 
house  in  Council  Bluffs,  where  he  was  visiting. 
He  was  sick  only  a  few  days  with  brain  fever. 

Shortly  after  our  marriage  I  sent  my  wife  off 
on  her  wedding  trip  to  the  East,  for  I  had 
already  engaged  myself  to  work  in  Wisconsin  for 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  209 

the  Good  Templars.  The  Good  Templars  of 
Wisconsin  had  purchased  a  big  tent,  and  were 
determined  to  do  Good  Templar  missionary  work 
in  the  lumber  regions  of  that  State.  My  first  point 
was  at  Chippewa  Falls,  then  at  Humbird,  and 
then  at  Lisbon.  It  was  at  Lisbon  I  first  became 
associated  with  John  B.  Finch.  .This  great  leader 
and  speaker  was  to  be  associated  with  me  during 
the  meetings  of  the  summer. 

John  B.  Finch  was  born  in  New  York,  at 
Cortland.  His  people  were  exceedingly  poor. 
He  early  evinced  a  desire  for  books  and  school. 
Unaided  he  secured  a  fine  education,  read  law, 
was  admitted  to  the  bar;  and  had  he  stuck  to  his 
profession,  he  would  have  risen  high.  He  became 
very  much  interested  in  the  cause  of  temperance, 
and  soon  won  a  splendid  reputation  as  a  speaker. 
He  went  to  Nebraska  in  1877,  and  swept  that  State 
like  a  cyclone,  doing  a  work  for  the  cause  of  tem- 
perance that  will  never  be  forgotten. 

I  had  met  him  at  the  Right  Worthy  Grand 
Lodge  a  few  weeks  before  this,  but  did  not  become 
much  acquainted  with  him  there.  But  our 
acquaintance  iormed  at  Lisbon  lasted  until  the 
day  of  his  death.  From  the  time  I  met  him  at 
Lisbon  he  rose  rapidly,  so  that  within  two  years 
he  stood  without  a  peer  in  the  world.  At  the 
Pittsburg  Prohibition  Convention,  in  1884,  he  was 
elected  chairman  of  the  national  committee,  and 


210  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

conducted  the  campaign  of  that  year  with  signal 
ability  that  excited  the  admiration  even  of  the 
leaders  of  the  old  parties. 

He  was  a  wonderful  man.  I  cannot  describe  his 
powers;  he  was  simply  indescribable.  As  an  illus- 
tration of  his  versatility  I  will  give  an  instance. 
He  was  with  me  at  the  funeral  of  Cyrus  W.  Bassett, 
at  Abingdon,  in  1883.  Brother  Bassett  had 
requested,  a  few  days  before  he  died,  that  I  should 
deliver  the  funeral  address.  When  I  rose  to  begin 
the  address,  my  feelings  overcame  me,  and  I  could 
not  say  a  word.  I  begged  of  Mr.  Finch  to  take  up 
the  discourse.  He  did  so,  without  a  moment's  prep- 
aration, and  delivered  an  oration  upon  the  immor- 
tality of  the  soul.  It  was  such  a  masterly  presen- 
tation of  that  subject,  that  the  thousand  people 
who  listened  to  him  sat  enthralled  for  an  hour. 

That  night  the  ministers  of  the  city  came  to 
him  and  requested  his  discourse  for  publication. 
"  Why,  "  he  said,  "  gentlemen,  for  the  life  of  me  I 
could  not  reproduce  a  half  dozen  words." 

During  the  great  campaign  in  Michigan,  I 
think  it  was  in  the  year  1887,  the  liquor  interest 
had  secured  the  service  of  Mr.  Duffield,  a  celebrated 
attorney  of  Detroit.  He  was  to  speak  in  fifteen  of 
the  principal  cities  of  Michigan.  Mr.  Duffield  was 
a  leading  layman  in  the  Presbyterian  Church.  He 
was  the  son  of  the  celebrated  Rev.  Dr.  Duffield, 
who  was  one  of  the  early  leaders  of  the  temperance 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  211 

reform.  Mr.  Duffield  himself  was  an  elder  in  the 
Presbyterian  Church,  and  was  considered  a  strong 
temperance  man.  He  opened  his  series  of 
addresses  at  Beecher  Hall,  Detroit,  and  followed  it 
up  with  an  address  at  Grand  Rapids  a  few  nights 
afterward.  But  in  the  meanwhile  Mr.  Finch  had 
been  brought  to  Detroit  to  answer  him.  He  spoke 
in  Beecher  Hall,  where  Mr.  Duffield  had  spoken. 
It  had  been  arranged  for  Mr.  Finch  to  follow 
Duffield  and  speak  at  every  place  that  he  spoke. 
But  the  reply  which  Mr.  Finch  made  to  Duffield 
in  Detroit  was  so  overwhelming,  that  Duffield,  after 
speaking  at  Grand  Rapids,  had  his  dates  all  can- 
celed, and  did  not  speak  again  during  the  cam- 
paign. 

Mr.  Finch  was  elected  Right  Worthy  Grand 
Templar  in  1884.  It  was  through  his  endeavors 
that  the  order  was  reunited  at  Saratoga  in  1887. 
He  died  a  few  months  afterward,  October  3rd, 
1887.  He  dropped  dead  at  a  depot  in  Boston, 
having  just  arrived  there  from  Lynn,  where  he  had 
delivered  a  masterly  address.  At  the  time  of  his 
death  he  was  thirty-five  years  old.  Thus  perished 
at  this  early  age  the  mightiest  man  that  our  reform 
ever  produced.  He  was  not  only  a  great  orator, 
but  he  was  a  keen  political  leader,  and  a  statesman. 
I  believe  that,  had  he  lived,  the  Prohibition  party 
would  have  been  in  power  to-day. 


212  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

He  looked  every  inch  the  man  that  he  was. 
After  being  described  as  I  have  described  him 
here,  you  might  have  passed  through  a  hundred 
thousand  men,  and  you  could  have  picked  him  out. 
He  was  every  inch  a  prince  among  men.  He  was 
just  six  feet  high,  and  weighed  about  one  hundred 
and  ninety  pounds.  He  was  a  perfect  Apollo  and 
a  splendid  athlete.  His  physical  powers  were  as 
great  as  his  mental  powers.  He  was  no  saint,  nor 
did  he  claim  to  be  one.  In  his  early  days  of  tem- 
perance work  in  Nebraska,  a  whiskey  paper  slan- 
dered him.  The  two  editors  of  the  paper  were 
two  stalwart  young  men,  yet  Mr.  Finch  went  into 
their  office,  whipped  them  both  in  five  minutes, 
and  did  not  get  so  much  as  a  scratch  upon  his 
person.  As  years  go  by,  my  admiration  for  this 
great  leader  grows  greater  and  greater. 

Our  campaign  that  summer  was  a  red-hot  one. 
We  had  almost  a  riot  at  every  place  we  visited. 
At  Lisbon  a  saloon-keeper  said  that  I  had  come 
into  his  saloon,  had  treated,  and  drank  myself. 
When  it  was  told  me,  I  was  inclined  to  treat  it  as 
a  joke ;  but  my  friends  insisted  I  should  notice  it, 
and  so  I  did  in  a  very  forcible  way.  The  saloon- 
keeper was  the  deputy  sheriff  of  the  county,  a  lead- 
ing politician,  and  claimed  to  be  a  big  fighter.  My 
speech  stirred  up  the  boys,  but  somehow  or  other 
this  man  got  Finch  and  I  mixed  up,  and  insisted 
that  it  was  Finch  who  had  said  the  bad  things 


Miss  Mary  Sobieski. 

Only   Living  Child  of  Colonel  Sobieski. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  213 

about  him.  So  he  came  over  to  the  house  where 
we  were  stopping,  to  interview  us.  He  told  Finch 
what  he  understood  he  had  said  about  him  and  his 
place  of  business. 

But  I  said,  "Oh,  no!  it  was  I  who  said  that." 

"No,"  he  said,  "I  understood  it  was  Finch 
who  said  it." 

"Well,"  Finch  said,  "if  it  will  be  any  satisfac- 
tion to  you,  I  will  say  it  now.  You  keep  a  low, 
drunken  doggery,  and  your  place  is  so  dirty  and 
filthy  that  a  first  class  hog,  if  compelled  to  stay  in 
it  fifteen  minutes,  would  die  of  the  cholera;  and 
you  yourself  are  a  sneak  and  a  liar." 

Whereupon  the  saloon-keeper  rose  to  his  feet, 
with  his  eyes  blazing  like  balls  of  fire,  and  said: 
"I'll  see  you  to-morrow!" 

Finch  said,  "Yes,  I  shall  be  around  town  until 
twelve  o'clock," 

The  man  of  the  house  said  that  Finch  would 
have  to  fight  in  the  morning. 

Finch  said,  "All  right,  I'll  accommodate  him." 

The  man  of  the  house  said  such  was  the  repu- 
tation of  the  saloon-keeper  among  the  young  men 
of  the  place,  that  he'd  .have  to  fight,  or  people 
would  laugh  him  out  of  town. 

Well,  we  were  all  over  town  the  next  morning, 
saw  the  saloon-keeper  several  times,  but  he  never 
would  see  us.  The  boys  did  laugh  him  out  of  the 
town.  He  had  to  sell  out  and  leave. 


214  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

A  year  afterward  I  stopped  at  a  railroad  hotel, 
went  in  and  registered  my  name,  and  said  I  would 
go  to  my  room  at  once.  I  was  taken  up-stairs  to 
my  room. 

When  the  landlord  turned  to  go  out,  he  said: 
"  Is  not  your  name  Sobieski?" 

I  said,   "Yes." 

Now,  looking  the  landlord  in  the  face  for  the 
first  time,  I  recognized  the  saloon-keeper  of  Lis- 
bon. He  wanted  to  know  where  Finch  was.  I 
told  him  in  Nebraska. 

He  said,  "Do  you  know  I  came  mighty  near 
licking  that  fellow?" 

"You  did?" 

"Yes,"  he  replied,  "and  I  would  have  done  it 
only  I  did   not  wish  to  offend  the  good  people  of 
that  town." 

So  Finch  never  knew  how  near  he  came  to 
getting  a  licking. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  215 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

Campaign  in     Wisconsin — Colonel  B.   F.   Parker — Prohibition  cam- 
paign in  Iowa  and  Illinois. 

At  the  session  of  the  Right  Worthy  Grand 
Lodge  in  1879,  I  was  elected  Right  Worthy  Grand 
Chaplain,  or  rather  I  was  chosen  for  that  office. 

In  a  body  like  the  Right  Worthy  Grand  Lodge, 
where  delegates  assemble  from  all  over  the  globe, 
we  have  a  great  many  able  men  and  women,  and 
also  a  great  many  more  who  think  they  are ;  and 
'tis  usually  those  who  think  they  are  who  take  up 
the  time  of  the  body  and  delay  business.  The 
session  of  1879  was  especially  troubled  with  that 
class.  It  found  us  on  the  fourth  morning  of  the 
session  practically  with  no  business  done,  except 
the  election  and  installation  of  officers.  That  morn- 
ing I  made  my  first  prayer  as  Right  Worthy 
Grand  Chaplain,  and  I  thought  the  thing  most 
needed  to  be  prayed  for  was  our  body.  So  in 
my  prayer  I  thanked  God  that  we  had  been  so 
richly  endowed  with  the  grace  of  patience,  which 
we  had  been  called  upon  to  exercise  to  such  a 
remarkable  degree  in  the  past  three  days,  ask- 
ing our  Heavenly  Father  if  he  wouldn't  still 
continue  to  bless  us  in  that  respect,  to  gra- 
ciously bless  our  dear  brothers  who  were  occupy- 


2r6  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

ing  our  time  with  their  debates,  that  he  might 
endow  them  with  more  wisdom  than  they  had 
hitherto  shown,  and  that  they  might  have  the 
power  of  imparting  that  wisdom  to  us  in  much 
fewer  words;  and  "that  this  day  may  be  a  day 
signalized  by  very  few  speeches  and  a  great  deal 
of  business.  And  thine  be  the  glory,  forever. 
Amen." 

The  prayer  was  received  with  rapturous 
applause  throughout  the  entire  body.  Right  across 
from  me  sat  Rev.  Dr.  Fisher  of  Kansas,  a  very 
eminent  Methodist  minister.  He  at  once  started 
to  come  over  to  my  chair.  I  thought  he  was  going 
to  reprove  me,  but  he  did  not;  instead  he  shook 
me  heartily  by  the  hand,  and  congratulated  me. 
He  said:  "That's  right,'  brother,  always  pray  for 
that  which  is  most  needed." 

We  finished  all  of  our  business  that  day.  No 
unnecessary  words  were  uttered,  and  we  adjourned 
before  nine  o'clock  that  night.  This  will  always 
be  considered  a  remarkable  answer  to  prayer. 

At  the  close  of  the  tent  campaign  of  Mr.  Finch 
and  myself  in  Wisconsin,  my  services  were  secured 
to  lecture  for  the  Good  Templars  for  a  year.,  It 
was  during  this  tent  campaign,  and  the  following 
year  while  working  in  Wisconsin,  that  my 
acquaintanceship  with  Colonel  B.  F.  Parker,  Grand 
Secretary,  became  more  intimate;  and  it  has  lasted 
ever  since. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  217 

Brother  B.  F.  Parker  was  born,  I  think,  in  one 
of  the  Eastern  States,  but  has  lived  in  Wisconsin 
nearly  all  his  life.  He  received  a  liberal  education. 
At  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  War  he  entered  the 
army,  serving  in  the  artillery;  and  retired  at  the 
close  of  the  war  as  major.  He  soon  afterward 
became  connected  with  the  Good  Templars,  and 
in  1873  was  elected  Grand  Worthy  Secretary,  a 
position  he  has  held  ever  since.  He  was  elected 
to  the  Right  Worthy  Grand  Lodge  in  1874,  and 
has  been  a  member  of  that  body  and  an  attendant 
.at  every  session  since.  In  1885,  at  the  session  of 
the  Right  Worthy  Grand  Lodge,  he  was  elected 
Right  Worthy  Grand  Secretary.  He  has  held  that 
position  ever  since,  and  no  doubt  will  hold  it  as 
long  as  he  desires.  He  is  a  natural-born  secretary; 
no  one  equals  him:  and  that  this  is  no  biased  judg- 
ment of  mine,  is  shown  from  the  fact  that  he  has 
been  twenty-six  times  Grand  Secretary  of  Wiscon- 
sin, and  has  been  elected  Right  Worthy  Grand 
Secretary  since  1885. 

At  the  outbreak  of  the  war  with  Spain,  the 
regiment  of  which  he  was  the  lieutenant-colonel, 
the  Third  Wisconsin,  was  ordered  to  the  front. 
He  was  all  through  the  Porto  Rico  campaign,  at 
the  close  of  which  he  returned  home.  It  is  an 
adage  with  Colonel  Parker,  never  to  undertake  a 
thing  unless  you  can  do  it,  and  do  it  right.  He  is 
a  man  of  immense  popularity,  handsome  in  person, 


2i8  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

and  genial  in  character.  He  is  so  warm-hearted 
and  sympathetic,  that  a  song  cannot  be  sung  or  a 
speech  made  of  a  pathetic  nature  but  it  at  once 
melts  him  to  tears.  He  is  a  perfect  soldier,  though 
now  sixty  years  of  age;  and  has  passed  through 
many  severe  trials,  yet  is  so  well  preserved  that 
he  does  not  look  above  forty-five.  He  has  a  lovely 
wife,  and  a  lovely,  charming  daughter,  the  joy  and 
the  pride  of  his  heart. 

My  work  in  Wisconsin  was  very  pleasant. 
Though  the  State  is  hard  to  travel  over  in  many 
respects,  yet  the  people  are  so  warm-hearted  that 
I  enjoyed  my  work  exceedingly.  For  the  year 
1881  I  did  not  do  much,  making  only  two  hundred 
and  fifty  speeches  during  the  year,  and  they  were 
in  Nebraska  and  Illinois. 

In  June,  1882,  I  went  to  Iowa  to  take  part  in 
the  campaign  there  for  the  prohibitory  amendment. 
The  battle  was  spirited  from  the  beginning,  and 
we  swept  the  State  by  about  thirty  thousand 
majority — a  splendid  victory  that  was  lost  after- 
ward by  the  treachery  of  the  political  leaders. 

I  remember  the  night  of  the  election  on  the 
prohibition  question  I  had  been  out  to  the  room 
where  we  had  been  receiving  returns,  until  it  was 
quite  late.  On  my  return  to  the  Aborn  House, 
where  I  was  stopping,  I  heard  one  very  dejected 
saloon-keeper  say:  "Veil,  veil,  the  State  has  gone 
to  hell.  Now  I'm  going  to  sell  out  my  business 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  219 

here,  and  go  to  some  place  where  there  is  no 
damned  voman  or  preacher."  He  seemed  to 
appreciate  from  what  source  his  trouble  had  come. 

The  rest  of  that  year  was  spent  in  speaking  for 
the  Good  Templars  in  Illinois,  and  1883  was  spent 
likewise. 

On  the  19th  of  May,  1883,  occurred  the  death 
of  brother  Cyrus  W.  Bassett,  Grand  Secretary  of 
Illinois.  Brother  Bassett  was  born  in  the  State  of 
Illinois,  in  the  city  of  Abingdon.  His  father  was 
a  merchant  in  that  place.  He  served  in  the  Civil 
War,  and  was  a  brave  soldier.  I  became  acquainted 
with  him  in  1869,  and  from  that  time  until  the  day 
of  his  death  our  intimacy  was  of  the  closest  kind. 
It  was  I  who  nominated  him  for  Grand  Worthy 
Treasurer  when  he  was  elected  at  Decatur  in 
1876.  I  also  nominated  him  for  Grand  Worthy 
Secretary  in  1877.  He  served  in  that  office  until 
his  death.  He  was  also  a  member  of  the  Right 
Worthy  Grand  Lodge,  and  whatever  duty  he  was 
called  upon  to  perform,  he  always  performed  it 
with  rare  ability  and  fidelity.  I  never  knew  a 
better  man;  warm-hearted,  sympathetic,  and  true. 
I  loved  him  as  a  brother,  and  wept  many  bitter 
tears  at  his  death. 


220  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

Campaign  of  1883  in  Wisconsin — Presidential  campaign  of  1884 — 
Prohibition  camp-meetings  in  New  York— Governor  St.  John — Result  of 
the  election,  etc. 

The  Right  Worthy  Grand  Lodge  of  Good 
Templars  in  1883  was  held  in  Chicago.  It  was 
very  largely  attended,  George  B.  Katzenstein 
presiding. 

At  the  session  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Illinois 
in  the  fall  of  1883,  I  was  chosen  by  the  Grand 
Lodge  to  go  to  Ohio  for  a  month  during  their 
campaign,  to  secure  the  adoption  of  the  prohibition 
amendment.  It  was  a  hard-fought  campaign  from 
the  beginning  to  the  end,  both  the  Democratic 
and  Republican  candidates  for  governor,  and  also 
most  of  the  press,  opposing  the  adoption  of  the 
amendment;  indeed,  I  do  not  know  of  a  single  daily 
in  the  State  that  favored  it,  an'd  I  am  safe  to  say  at 
least  ninety  per  cent  of  the  weekly  press  were 
against  it.  But  the  campaign  upon  our  side  was 
well  planned  and  well  fought.  The  result  of  the 
vote  was:  for  the  amendment,  three  hundred  and 
twenty  thousand ;  against  the  amendment,  two 
hundred  and  eighty  thousand.  That  is  the  way 
the  vote  was  returned,  but  a  circumstance  occurred 
in  one  part  of  the  State  that  showed  how  the  vote 
was  counted. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  221 

A  contested  election  case  in  the  Lancaster  dis- 
trict of  that  State  on  the  congressman,  caused  a 
recount  of  the  vote.  Some  of  the  temperance 
people  seized  upon  the  occasion  to  tally  the  vote 
on  the  amendment,  and  it  was  shown  that  not  one- 
half  of  the  vote  in  favor  of  the  amendment  had 
been  returned.  In  submitting  the  prohibition 
amendment  to  the  people,  the  legislature  -was 
wholly  opposed  to  the  amendment,  and  only  sub- 
mitted it  on  demand  of  the  clamor  of  their  constit- 
uents. So  they  made  no  provision  for  watch  in 
counting  the  vote:  and  as  the  friends  of  the  amend- 
ment had  no  right  to  be  present  at  the  count,  or  to 
see  that  the  votes  were  correctly  counted,  they  had 
to  depend  upon  the  honesty  of  the  regular  election 
officers ;  and  as  they  were  usually  composed  of  a 
low  grade  of  politicians,  they  returned  any  kind  of 
vote  they  pleased.  There  was  no  doubt  a  half 
million  votes  cast  for  the  amendment. 

I  remember  during  that  campaign  of  thoroughly 
disgusting  one  old  bourbon,  whom  I  met  on  the 
train.  I  got  into  a  conversation  with  him,  and  he 
asked  me  what  my  opinion  was  in  regard  to  the 
prohibition  question.  I  told  him  that  I  was  in 
favor  of  it,  and  that  I  was  in  the  State  speaking 
for  it.  The  old  bourbon  became  excited  at  once, 
and  said  that  he  was  opposed  to  it  and  he  could 
not  see  how  any  sensible  man  could  be  otherwise. 
During  the  talk  he  brought  up  the  old  argument, 


222  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

that  if  you  forbid  a  man  doing  a  thing,  he  is 
sure  to  do  it. 

"Well,"  I  said,  "if  that  is  the  case,  my  friend, 
then  our  laws  have  all  been  at  fault,  and  the  reason 
why  we  have  murder,  theft,  forgery,  counterfeiting, 
larceny,  arson,  is  because  we  have  laws  forbidding 
them ;  and  so  the  way  to  do  would  be  to  repeal  all 
of  those  laws,  and  then  all  crime  in  the  land 
against  person  and  property  would  cease." 

The  old  man  jumped  to  his  feet,  and  said:  "I 
thought  I  had  been  talking  to  a  damned  fanatic, 
but  I  find  out  I'm  talking  to  a  damned  fool;"  and 
he  left  the  car.  But  I  am  sure  he  never  used  that 
argument  again. 

Quite  an  amusing  incident  occurred  during  that 
campaign,  in  Ottawa,  Putnam  County.  A  few 
days  before  that  Finch  and  I  had  spoken  at  Leipsic, 
at  an  all-day  meeting.  During  the  noon  hour  I 
had  told  a  story  of  Tom  Corwin,  the  great  Ohio 
orator  and  statesman.  When  he  was  running  for 
governor  in  1840,  he  spoke  in  Painesville,  up  in 
the  western  reserve.  The  people  up  there  are 
very  cold  and  undemonstrative,  though  a  very 
intelligent  people.  Corwin  had  been  accustomed 
to  carry  his  audience  by  storm,  having  them  either 
mad  or  happy,  laughing  or  crying,  at  his  will;  but 
when  he  got  in  the  western  reserve,  all  this  was 
changed.  The  people  sat  like  statues,  and  it 
annoyed  him  very  much.  So  he  said  at  Paines- 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  223 

ville  he  tried  everything  to  stir  them.  He  tried 
statistics,  he  tried  argument,  he  tried  rhetoric,  but 
all  to  no  avail.  Then  he  took  up  jokes,  told  stories, 
but  he  couldn't  move  them  a  particle.  He  had 
one  story  that  he  knew  would  make  them  laugh, 
but  he  didn't  want  to  use  that  on  them  unless  he 
had  to:  and  he  had  to;  but  they  never  even 
looked  up  at  it.  So,  in  disgust  and  dismay,  he  took 
his  seat.  There  was  silence  for  a  few  minutes  in 
the  hall  (Women  in  those  days  did  not  attend 
political  meetings.). 

At  length  a  man  in  the  hall  rose  and  said: 
"Mr.  Chairman,  I  move  that  we  give  the  Hon. 
Thomas  Corwin  three  cheers  for  his  eloquent 
address." 

There  was  silence  for  a  few  minutes,  when 
the  chairman  said :  "  Do  I  hear  a  second  to  the 
motion?" 

Another  man  in  the  hall  rose  and  said:  "Mr. 
Chairman,  I  second  the  motion." 

The  chairman  said:  "It  has  been  moved  and 
seconded  that  we  give  the  Hon.  Thomas  Corwin 
three  cheers  for  his  eloquent  address.  Are  there 
any  remarks  to  be  made  upon  it?" 

There  was  silence  for  a  few  "minutes.  Then 
the  chairman  said:  "All  who  are  in  favor  of  the 
motion,  please  say  /."  Three  men  voted  /. 

The  chairman  said:  "All  who  are  opposed  to 
it,  will  say  no.  There  was  no  one  voted  no. 


224  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

The  chairman  said:  "It  is  carried;  we  are  now 
ready  for  the  cheers." 

A  man  in  the  hall  rose  and  said:  "Mr.  Chair- 
man, hurrah  for  Thomas  Corwin;"  and  sat  down. 

After  a  silence  of  a  moment  the  chairman  said: 
"Well,  now  we  are  ready  for  another." 

Another  man  rose  and  said:  "Mr.  Chairman, 
hurrah  for  Thomas  Corwin;"  and  down  he  sat. 

And  the  chairman  said:  "Well,  now,  I  guess 
we'll  take  the  other." 

Then  a  little,  phthisicky  old  fellow  rose  and 
said  in  a  squeaking  voice:  "Hurrah  for  Mr. 
Thomas  Corwin." 

The  chairman  said:  "The  Hon.  Thomas  Corwin 
having  received  his  three  cheers,  we  are  now  ready 
for  a  motion  of  adjournment."  And  they  adjourned. 

So,  when  I  got  to  Ottawa,  Judge  Goodwin  said 
to  me:  "I  wish  you  would  tell  that  story  about 
Tom  Corwin  at  this  meeting,  for  the  people  here 
always  enjoy  anything  that  is  told  at  the  expense 
of  the  people  in  the  western  reserve." 

I  told  him  I  would  do  so,  if  I  found  a  good 
place  to  put  it  in ;  and  so  during  my  speech  I  told 
the  story,  and  the  people  seemed  to  enjoy  it  very 
much. 

When  I  sat  down,  Judge  Goodwin  rose  to 
move  a  vote  of  thanks,  and  he  said:  "Mr.  Chair- 
man, I  move  we  give  Hon.  John  S ,"  and  he 

never  got  any  further.  The  people  thought  that 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  225 

he  had  risen  to  make  a  motion  for  giving  me 
three  cheers,  and  remembering  the  story  I  had 
told,  it  was  too  much  for  them;  and  they  broke  up 
all  over,  and  with  laughter  and  cheers  the  meeting 
adjourned,  and  I  lost  my  collection. 

Returning  from  Ohio,  I  went  to  Wisconsin, 
where  I  spoke  for  the  Good  Templars  that  fall  and 
winter;  and  in  the  spring  I  spoke  for  the  Woman's 
Christian  Temperance  Union,  in  Illinois,  up  to 
July.  In  July  I  went  to  New  York.  A  Methodist 
minister  by  the  name  of  Rev.  John  Copeland  had 
organized  something  like  twenty-five  prohibition 
camp-meetings,  and  I  was  to  speak  at  all  of  them. 
He  had  the  prominent  prohibition  speakers  from 
all  over  the  country. 

This  was  the  presidential  campaign  year  of 
1884.  Cleveland  had  been  nominated  by  the 
Democrats,  Elaine  by  the  Republicans,  and  Butler 
by  the  People's  party.  The  Prohibition  conven- 
tion had  *been  postponed.  It  originally  had  been 
called  to  meet  in  May,  but  Senator  Blair  of  New 
Hampshire,  General  Clinton  B.  Fisk  of  New  Jersey, 
and  ex-Governor  St.  John  of  Kansas,  had  written 
us  letters  urging  us  to  postpone  the  convention, 
saying  that  they  were  confident  that  the  Repub- 
licans in  their  national  convention  would  take  steps 
on  the  prohibition  question  that  would  be  satis- 
factory all  around ;  but  if  they  did  not,  they 
would  cut  loose  from  the  Republican  party  and 


226  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

join  us.  Our  committee  had  no  faith  whatever  in 
any  such  action  upon  the  part  of  the  Republicans; 
yet,  out  of  consideration  for  those  distinguished 
gentlemen,  the  convention  was  postponed  till  the 
latter  part  of  July.  Well,  the  Republican  conven- 
tion did  not  take  the  step,  and  Governor  St.  John 
and  Clinton  B.  Fisk  kept  their  word  and  joined  the 
Prohibition  party.  The  Prohibition  convention 
met  and  nominated  Governor  St.  John  for  the 
presidency,  and  William  Daniel  of  Maryland  for 
the  vice-presidency. 

I  made  the  acquaintance  of  Governor  St.  John 
at  Topeka,  Kansas,  in  1881,  at  the  time  of  the 
meeting  of  the  Right  Worthy  Grand  Lodge  of 
Good  Templars.  He  was  then  the  governor  of  the 
State  of  Kansas.  Governor  St.  John  was  born  in 
the  State  of  Indiana,  I  believe.  While  he  was 
yet  very  young  the  family  came  to  Illinois. 
When  the  gold  excitement  occurred  in  Calilornia, 
though  but  a  mere  lad  at  the  time,  he  walked 
across  the  plains  to  California ;  and  I  think  he 
finally  went  to  Australia.  Returning  to  Illinois, 
he  studied  law  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar.  He 
married  Miss  Parker,  the  daughter  of  State  Senator 
Parker,  of  Charleston,  Illinois.  He  now  began 
the  practice  of  law  at  Charleston.  He  had  just 
got  well  started  in  law  when  the  Civil  War  broke 
out.  He  entered  the  army  at  once,  in  one  of  the 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  227 

Illinois  regiments,  where  he  made  a  splendid  repu- 
tation as  a  brave  and  gallant  officer. 

At  the  close  of  the  war  he  moved  to  Missouri, 
but  remained  there  only  a  year  or  so,  when  he  went 
to  Kansas,  locating  where  he  now  lives,  at  Olathe. 
He  was  elected  to  the  Kansas  legislature,  I  think 
serving  in  both  branches;  and  in  1878  was  elected 
governor  of  the  State.  Governor  St.  John  is  a 
natural-born  reformer.  He  was  an  early  aboli- 
tionist and  Republican,  and  was  once  indicted  in 
Illinois,  under  her  infamous  black  laws,  for  feeding 
a  negro.  They  failed  to  convict  him,  although  he 
openly  acknowledged  his  offense.  He  was  always 
a  temperance  man — a  radical  temperance  man — 
and  an  uncompromising  prohibitionist. 

When  the  prohibition  amendment  was  pending 
in  his  State  in  1880,  he  entered  earnestly  into  the 
battle  in  its  behalf,  and  was  the  only  man  of 
prominence  in  his  party  who  did;  and  it  is 
generally  conceded  that  his  influence  resulted 
in  the  adoption  of  the  prohibition  amendment. 
A  gentleman  who  was  at  Bismarck  Grove,  near 
Lawrence,  Kansas,  at  a  prohibition  camp-meet- 
ing in  1880,  said  that  Governor  St.  John  was  there 
to  speak  in  behalf  of  the  amendment.  The 
Republican  State  Convention  was  to  meet  a  few 
days  afterward.  Some  of  his  political  friends  came 
there  to  protest  against  his  doing  so.  They 
told  him  they  could  see  no  objection  to  his  speak- 


228  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

ing  along  the  line  of  general  temperance,  but  told 
him  if  he  spoke  in  behalf  of  the  amendment,  it 
would  defeat  him  in  the  convention. 

He  said  to' them:  "Gentlemen,  I  am  here  to 
speak  for  the  prohibition  amendment,  and  I  shall 
do  it.  I  hate  the  traffic,  and  I  have  always  hated 
it;  I  have  never  got  a  chance  to  give  it  a  blow, 
but  I  shall  do  so  in  the  future;  and  while  I  would 
like  to  be  re-elected  governor  of  the  State,  I  do 
not  propose  to  purchase  it  at  the  price  of  my 
conscience  and  convictions.  Gentlemen,  I  shall 
speak  for  the  prohibition  amendment  to-day,  and 
many  other  times  before  the  election.  " 

That  ended  the  interview,  and  he  was  renomi- 
nated  and  reelected,  and  the  amendment  was 
adopted  and  the  law  enacted.  He  was  renomi- 
nated  again  in  1882,  but  the  liquor  element  in  his 
own  party  joined  with  the  Democratic  party,  and 
there  being  a  great  Democratic  slide  that  year, 
he  was  defeated  by  a  small  majority.  It  has  been 
said  that  he  deserted  the  Republican  party  on 
account  of  his  defeat  that  year,  and  sought  to 
revenge  himself  by  defeating  it  in  the  nation. 
Nothing:  could  be  further  from  the  truth.  His 

o 

attachment  to  the  Republican  party  was  as  strong 
as  ever  after  that  defeat.  I  had  several  conversa- 
tions with  him,  and  know  this  to  be  so. 

After  the  action  of  the  Republicans  in  conven- 
tion in  1884,  there  was  but  one  thing  he  could  do, 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  229 

and  he  did  it  bravely.  The  campaign  of  1884  was 
signalized  for  slander,  the  Republican  party  charg- 
ing Mr.  Cleveland  with  an  immoral  life,  while  the 
Democratic  party,  on  the  other  hand,  were  charg- 
ing Mr.  Elaine  with  selling  his  influence  as  Speaker 
of  the  House  to  carry  through  corrupt  measures, 
and  with  being  an  immoral  man  when  he  was 
young;  and  altogether  the  campaign  was  the  dirt- 
iest, most  disgusting  and  disgraceful  our  nation 
has  ever  known.  Every  effort  was  made  that 
could  be  made  to  prevail  on  Governor  St.  John  to 
withdraw  from  the  contest  so  late  in  the  campaign 
as  to  prevent  another  man  being  put  on  in  his 
place,  but  it  was  unavailing.  Governor  St.  John 
received  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  votes  at 
that  election. 

Some  of  the  papers  of  the  Republican  party, 
and  also  some  men,  maddened  at  their  defeat, 
turned  upon  Governor  St.  John  in  their  anger, 
accusing  him  of  their  misfortune,  and  charging  him 
with  selling  out  to  the  Democrats.  The  charge 
was  most  absurd.  He  could  not  have  sold  out  to 
the  Democrats,  as  he  was  already  running;  nor  to 
the  Republicans,  for,  surely,  he  was  of  no  interest 
to  them.  But  in  "their  continued  denunciation, 
they  aroused  a  good  deal  of  bitterness  against  him, 
and  he  was  hung  in  effigy  in  many  places.  Yet, 
right  amidst  all  of  the  denunciation,  I  visited  him, 
and  found  him  cool,  undisturbed,  and  in  the  best 


230  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

of  spirits,  laughing  at  the  frantic  rage  of  his  ene- 
mies, and  laughingly  showing  me  and  reading  me 
some  of  his  love  letters,  as  he  called  them  ;  and, 
in  all  my  intimacy  with  Governor  St.  John,  1  never 
heard  him  say  a  bitter  word  about  any  of  his 
enemies.  I  have  ever  found  Governor  St.  John  to 
be  a  noble,  pure-minded,  honorable,  Christian 
gentleman,  worthy  of  the  love  and  admiration  of 
the  thousands  who  believed  in  him.  I  have  heard 
Governor  St.  John  speak  many  times;  and  while 
I  have  heard  most  of  the  greatest  political 
campaigners  of  the  last  thirty  years,  yet  I  have  never 
heard  him  excelled.  He  has  a  wonderful  power 
of  moving  and  convincing  people.  Mr.  Bryan 
has  said  that  what  makes  a  successful  speaker 
is  to  thoroughly  believe  in  one's  subject,  and  to 
be  hungry  for  its  success.  That  seems  to  be  the 
secret  of  Governor  St.  John's  great  success, 
coupled  with  his  great-heartedness  and  belief  in 
the  masses. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  231 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

My  work  in  Dakota — Mr.  Folsom — Right  Worthy  Grand  Lodge  at 
Toronto — My  trip  to  Nova  Scotia,  Cape  Breton,  and  Newfoundland — In 
the  camps  of  New  York — Candidate  for  Congress — Lecturing  again  in 
South  Dakota — Death  of  Mr.  Finch — Convention  at  Indianapolis — Nom- 
ination of  Fisk  and  Brooks. 

That  winter  after  the  campaign,  I  spoke  in 
South  Dakota.  While  lecturing  in  South  Dakota, 
I  became  acquainted  with  Mr.  A.  C.  Folsom,  as  I 
worked  under  his  direction;  and  our  acquaintance 
formed  there  has  been  kept  up  ever  since,  and  our 
intimacy  has  been  very  close.  I  had  the  pleasure 
of  being  his  guest  for  two  days  at  Dell  Rapids.  A 
happier  home  I  was  never  in.  His  wife  was  a 
beautiful  woman,  as  lovely  in  character  as  she  was 
in  person.  She  was  an  ideal  wife.  Mr.  Folsom 
had  the  great  misfortune  to  lose  her  in  1889:  she 

o 

died  after  a  few  days'  sickness,  of  typhoid  fever. 
I  have  always  found  Mr.  Folsom  to  be  a  high-prin- 
cipled Christian  gentleman,  strict  in  his  dealings, 
kind-hearted  and  companionable;  one  of  the  men 
we  love  to  meet  and  associate  with.  He  made  one 
of  the  best  Grand  Secretaries  I  ever  knew. 

The  Right  Worthy  Grand  Lodge  of  Good 
Templars  met  in  1885  in  Toronto,  Canada.  We 
had  a  very  pleasant  and  profitable  session.  At  the 
close  of  the  session  I  was  selected,  with  Mr.  A.  O. 


232  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

Crozier  of  Michigan,  to  go  to  Nova  Scotia,  Cape 
Breton,  and  Newfoundland,  to  restore  the  order  in 
those  islands,  where  it  had  been  broken  up  by  the 
secession  movement. 

I  enjoyed  the  trip  very  much,  though  it  was 
hard  work  ;  yet  at  that  time  of  year  it  was  very 
pleasant  in  that  climate.  Nova  Scotia  will  be 
remembered  as  the  place  where  Longfellow  located 
his  celebrated  story,  "Evangeline."  I  saw  Grand- 
Pre  and  the  old  brick  church. 

Coming  up  on  the  boat  on  Lake  Bras  d'  Or  I 
noticed  a  large,  fine-looking  man,  who  turned  out 
to  be  a  member  of  Parliament  from  that  country, 
watching  me  very  closely.  I  said  to  Mr.  Crozier, 
"I  wonder  why  that  man  watches  me  so  closely." 

"Why,"  he  said,  "I  presume  he  is  a  detective, 
and  he  thinks  he's  struck  a  trail ;  for  you  are  a 
suspicious  looking  man,  Sobieski." 

Just  as  the  boat  was  about  to  land  at  Port 
Hawksberry,  while  quite  a  number  were  standing 
about  us,  he  came  up  to  me  and  said:  "Holy 
Father,  may  I  ask  you  where  you  reside?" 

I  said,    "Holy  Moses,  yes." 

It  raised  quite  a  laugh.  He  afterward  explained 
to  me  that  holy  fathers  from  Montreal  often  came 
down  there  to  spend  the  summer,  and  thinking 
that  I  was  one,  he  had  spoken  to  me.  I  excused 
him  and  told  him  it  was  all  right,  and  that  I  had 
enjoyed  the  joke. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  233 

Having  finished  our  work  in  Cape  Breton,  we 
went  to  Newfoundland.  Though  we  landed  on 
the  island  entire  strangers,  yet  in  a  few  weeks  we 
had  organized  a  dozen  lodges  of  Good  Templars, 
and  I  left  Mr.  Crozier  to  reorganize  the  Grand 
Lodge. 

While  Mr.  Crozier  and  I  were  at  the  little  town 
of  Blackhead,  we  were  walking  out  on  the  street 
one  morning,  when  near  a  stable  we  met  an 
elderly,  good-looking  man,  who  stopped  and  spoke 
to  us,  saying:  "Are  you  the  distinguished  Ameri- 
can gentlemen  stopping  here  in  our  little  town?" 

We  assured  him  we  were. 

"Well,"  he  said,  "gentlemen,  it  does  me  great 
pleasure  to  welcome  you  to  our  little  island. 
While  it  is  rocky  and  barren,  yet  we  have  warm- 
hearted men  and  women  on  the  island,  and  we 
welcome  you  with  glad  hands  and  glad  hearts. 
Gentlemen,  you  have  come  from  a  noble  land ; 
from  the  land  of  Washington,  Franklin,  Jefferson, 
and  Lincoln ;  a  land  that  is  flowing  with  milk  and 
honey,  where  want  is  never  known.  Now,  gentle- 
men, if  you  have  got  about  you  a  sixpence  or  a 
twopence,  and  if  you  think  you  could  spare  it,  I 
wish  you  would  give  it  to  a  poor,  old  man  who  is 
lame  and  can  no  longer  go  a-fishing." 

We  each  gave  him  a  dollar,  and  the  last  we 
saw  of  the  old  man  he  was  still  standing  there 


234  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

calling  down  the  blessing  of  Almighty  God  upon 
us.     I  expect  he  is  standing  there  still. 

At  a  place  called  Heart's  Content,  Mr.  Crozier 
and  I  visited  a  very  ancient  graveyard,  and  among 
the  many  funny  inscriptions  we  saw  on  the  grave 
stones  was  this,  on  a  stone  that  was  dated  1756: 

"  Here  lies  good  Susan  Bent; 

She  kicked  up  her  heels,  and  away  she  went." 

The  night  that  I  got  into  Halifax,  on  my  return, 
we  arrived  about  ten  o'clock.  Newfoundland  does 
not  belong  to  the  Dominion  of  Canada,  so  there 
is  a  tariff  on  all  goods  brought  from  there.  The 
custom-house  officer  stood  in  the  gangway  inspect- 
ing the  luggage  of  those  who  got  off;  so  I  unlocked 
my  grip  and  held  it  up  to  him.  He  gave  me  just 
a  glance,  and  said:  "Never  mind,  Holy  Father, 
you  can  pass  right  on.  " 

But  the  next  morning  at  the  hotel  I  had  all  the 
conceit  taken  out  of  me.  On  coming  down  for 
breakfast,  when  I  went  to  the  dining-room  door, 
the  steward  took  me  down  to  about  the  center  of 
the  room  to  a  table.  "There,"  he  said,  "you 
circus  men  will  all  sit  at  this  table."  There  was  a 
circus  troop  stopping  at  the  hotel  at  the  time,  and 
they  had  arrived  late  the  night  before. 

When  I  arrived  at  Halifax  on  my  way  out  to 
Newfoundland,  I  stopped  at  the  International 
Hotel.  I  hadn't  been  in  my  room  long  before  the 
servant  brought  a  card  to  me,  which  bore  the  name 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  235 

of  Captain  Phelan,  the  United  States  consul.  I 
told  the  servant  to  have  him  come  up.  He  did  so. 
He  proved  to  be  from  St.  Louis,  Missouri.  He 
was  so  delighted  to  meet  some  one  from  Missouri. 
We  had  a  pleasant  chat  together.  He  had  served 
in  the  Confederate  army.  He  was  so  kind  and 
pleasant  that  I  shall  never  forget  him.  He  sent 
over  to  me  a  lot  of  St.  Louis  papers,  the  Globe  and 
the  Republic,  and  he  visited  me  on  the  steamer. 
On  my  return  to  Halifax,  he  came  and  took  me  in 
his  carriage  and  drove  me  about  the  city.  The 
good  man  has  long  since  gone  to  heaven. 

At  Truro,   Nova  Scotia,   I  was  joined  by  John 

B.  Finch,   and    we    went    on    to   Boston  together, 
stopping  in  Boston  a   day  or  two.      We  then  came 
on  to  New  York  city,   and  that  summer  I  lectured 
in  the  same  prohibition  camp-meetings  that  I  did 
the    year    before.        It    was    while    attending    this 
series  of  camp-meetings  that  I  became  acquainted 
with  three  of   the   brightest    men    of  our  reform : 

C.  H.     Mead,    Lou   J.     Beauchamp,    and    A.    A. 
Hopkins. 

C.  H.  Mead  is  now  known  as  Dr.  Mead,  as  he  is  a 
doctor  of  divinity.  He  is  one  of  the  best-known  men 
of  our  reform.  He  is  a  thoroughly  educated  gentle- 
man, a  wonderful,  magnetic  speaker;  full  of  humor, 
and  yet  of  good  sense.  He  is  one  of  the  most  pop- 
ular speakers  of  the  day  on  the  subject  of  temper- 
ance. And  sing!  Well,  I  should  say  he  can.  Dr. 


236  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

C.  H.  Mead  is  writing  a  page  in  the  history  of  our 
reform  that  will  shine  among  our  brightest. 

Lou  J.  Beauchamp,  of  Hamilton,  Ohio,  is  a 
thoroughly  educated  man.  He  began  his  career 
as  a  newspaper  reporter,  and  became  converted  to 
the  temperance  cause  during  the  "  Ribbon  Move- 
ment," in  the  seventies.  He  has  been  actively 
engaged  in  lecturing  ever  since.  Of  late  years  he 
has  been  lecturing  considerably  on  the  popular 
platform,  and  he  is  also  an  author  and  poet.  His 
two  most  notable  books  are  "Sunshine"  and 
"  What  the  Duchess  and  I  Saw  in  Europe."  Mr. 
Beauchamp  is  young  compared  with  the  rest  of  us: 
I  think  he  was  born  about  1853.  He  is  a  charming 
orator — one  of  the  most  taking  speakers  with  all 
kinds  of  audiences,  that  I  ever  knew;  and  he  is 
perfectly  inexhaustible;  he  will  speak  from  sixty 
to  seventy  nights  in  one  place,  holding  his 
audiences  and  increasing  them  right  along.  All 
the  time  he  is  speaking  you  are  carried  away 
constantly  by  conflicting  emotions.  He  is  perfectly 
indescribable — no  words  of  mine  can  do  him  justice. 

A.  A.  Hopkins  is  an  author  of  a  good  deal  of 
repute.  He  has  written  quite  a  large  number  of 
volumes  of  both  poetry  and  prose,  and  he  is  also 
one  of  our  strongest  editors.  He  is  a  strong,  log- 
ical speaker,  and  when  aroused  he  has  great 
power.  He  is  a  refined  and  accomplished  gen- 
tleman. 


Lou  J.  Beauchamp. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  237 

The  following  year,  the  winter  of  1885  and  in 
1886,  I  lectured  in  Illinois,  Pennsylvania,  and 
New  York.  In  July,  1886,  I  was  nominated  for 
Congress  in  my  district,  which  covers  the  south- 
western part  of  the  State.  I  was  nominated  by 
the  Prohibitionists,  and  endorsed  by  the  People's 
party.  I  made  a  thorough  canvass  of  my  district, 
and  made  it  just  as  warm  for  my  opponents  as  pos- 
sible; but  as  my  party  was  overwhelmingly  in  the 
minority,  of  course  I  failed  in  the  election,  but  I 
had  a  good  deal  of  fun. 

That  fall  and  winter  I  spoke  again  in  South 
Dakota,  working  under  the  direction  of  the  Good 
Templars.  My  old  friend  Kanouse  was  now 
Grand  Chief  Templar  of  South  Dakota,  and  Mr. 
A.  C.  Folsom  still  secretary. 

In  the  summer  of  1886,  Rev.  John  A.  Brooks, 
D.  D.,  had  planned  a  campaign  of  twelve  prohibi- 
tion camp-meetings.  They  were  called  the  Sam 
Jones  camp-meetings,  as  he  was  the  most  notable 
man  among  the  speakers.  Of  Sam  Jones  it  is 
hardly  necessary  to  speak:  the  world  knows  him — 
everybody  knows  him.  There  is  only  one  Sam 
Jones  in  the  world,  or  ever  was,  or  ever  will  be. 
His  power  is  marvelous;  while  his  speeches  are 
often  fearful  in  denunciation,  and  what  some  people 
call  coarse  at  times,  yet,  in  the  main,  they  are 
beautiful.  I  don't  believe  any  one  ever  heard 
Sam  Jones  through,  but  went  away  hating  himself 


238  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

for  every  mean  action  he  ever  did.  I  have  always 
found  him  an  exceedingly  pleasant  and  agree- 
able gentleman  socially.  I  wish  we  had  a  thou- 
sand like  him. 

The  next  year,  1887,  I  lectured  in  Illinois  in  the 
first  part  of  the  season,  and  during  the  summer  my 
time  was  put  in  in  prohibition  camp-meetings. 
Mr.  Frank  Sibley  and  J.  A.  Van  Fleet  had  organ- 
ized twenty-seven  prohibition  camp-meetings,  run- 
ning through  a  half  dozen  States:  Illinois,  Wiscon- 
sin, Indiana,  Michigan,  and  Ohio.  The  speakers 
were  John  P.  St.  John,  Van  Buren  Bennett,  C.  H. 
Mead,  A.  A.  Hopkins,  George  W.  Bain,  Frank 
Sibley,  and  John  Sobieski. 

It  was  during  this  series  of  camp-meetings 
that  I  met  for  the  first  time  Rev.  Jasper  L.  Douthit. 
Of  him  I  shall  speak  further  along  in  my  book. 

Brother  Van  Buren  Bennett  had  been  a  soldier 
in  the  army,  a  radical  Democrat,  and  drank 
whiskey  some;  but  he  had  been  converted,  and 
joined  church  and  the  Prohibition  party.  He 
proved  to  be  one  of  our  ablest  and  strongest 
speakers. 

It  was  during  this  series  of  camp-meetings 
that  I  did  my  last  work  with  John  B.  Finch.  It 
was  at  Bowling  Green,  Ohio.  Little  did  I  think 
then  that  I  was  speaking  with  him  for  the  last 
time;  but  so  it  proved.  I  spent  a  couple  of  days 
with  him  two  weeks  before  his  death.  He  never 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  239 

looked  better,  and  told  me  he  never  felt  better. 
But  a  couple  of  weeks  afterward,  picking  up  a 
little  evening  newspaper  at  Marshall,  Minnesota,  I 
read  this  simple  announcement:  "John  B.  Finch, 
the  Prohibition  leader,  dropped  dead  in  Boston 
last  night."  My!  how  it  thrilled  me.  I  was  speech- 
less, as  it  were.  In  a  few  minutes  I  received  a 
telegram  announcing  his  death.  I  at  once  can 
celed  all  my  engagements  and  started  for 
Evanston.  At  his  funeral  there  were  delegations 
from  fifteen  or  twenty  States.  I  saw  men  weep 
like  children,  as  he  was  placed  in  the  tomb. 

The  fall  and  part  of  the  winter  of  1887  I 
lectured  in  Minnesota,  Wisconsin,  Illinois,  and  New 
York,  and  then  attended  the  National  Prohibition 
Convention  which  met  at  Indianapolis.  In  that 
convention  we  had  a  lively  contest  as  to  whether 
woman  suffrage  should  be  retained  in  our  platform. 
I  favored  its  retention  very  earnestly.  I  see  now 
that  I  made  a  mistake.  I  have  become  convinced 
that  it  is  better  for  the  cause  of  woman  suffrage 
that  it  should  be  left  out  of  all  platforms;  that  it 
should  be  made  a  non-partisan  issue.  It  is  unlike 
prohibition,  which  needs  a  party  to  enforce  it. 
When  once  enacted,  woman  suffrage  will  enforce 
itself.  The  convention  at  Indianapolis  was  presided 
over  by  the  Rev.  Henry  Delano,  of  Evanston,  Illi- 
nois, as  temporary  chairman,  and  ex-Governor  John 
P.  St.  John  as  permanent  chairman.  The  conven- 
tion nominated  for  President,  Clinton  B.  Fisk  of 
New  Jersey  ;  for  Vice-President,  Dr.  John  A.  Brooks 
of  Missouri. 


240  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

Clinton  B.  Fisk — John  A.  Brooks — My  trip  to  California — The 
assembly  at  Long  Beach — Enter  the  campaign  in  California  for  Fisk  and 
Brooks — Los  Angeles  —  Sacramento  —  San  Francisco — Return  East — 
Campaigning  in  Missouri  and  Pennsylvania,  etc. 

General  Clinton  B.  Fisk,  our  nominee  for  Pres- 
ident, was  born,  I  think,  in  Michigan.  At  the  out- 
break of  the  war  he  was  a  resident  of  St.  Louis. 
He  entered  the  army  at  once,  rose  to  distinction, 
was  commander  of  the  department  of  Missouri,  and 
showed  such  marked  administrative  abilities,  that 
at  the  close  of  the  war,  on  the  organization  of  the 
Freedmen's  Bureau,  he  was  placed  in  charge,  and 
discharged  his  duties  with  great  success.  After  the 
bureau  had  been  abolished,  he  was  made  treas- 
urer of  the  Missouri  and  Pacific  Railroad  Company. 
Then  he  went  to  New  York  and  entered  the 
brokerage  business. 

He  was  a  man  of  lovely,  genial  character,  a 
very  popular  speaker,  very  active  in  Christian 
work,  and  one  of  the  most  influential  lay  members 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  He  was  an 
excellent  story-teller.  He  used  to  tell  a  story  of 
when  he  assumed  the  command  of  his  regiment  at 
the  beginning  of  the  war.  He  addressed  the  men, 
and  appealed  to  them  to  live  Christian  lives,  saying : 
"Now,  boys,  I'll  make  this  contract  with  you,  that 
I  am  to  do  all  the  swearing  for  the  regiment." 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  241 

Some  weeks  after  their  arrival  at  the  front,  he 
came  upon  one  of  his  teamsters  whose  mules  had 
balked  on  him.  and  he  was  swearing  at  them  like 
a  trooper.  The  colonel  stopped  him  and  said : 
"Sir,  I  am  amazed;  I  am  perfectly  amazed.  The 
contract  was,  you  remember,  that  I  was  to  do  the 
swearing  for  the  whole  regiment.  Do  you  remem- 
ber it?" 

The  teamster  said:  "Why,  yes,  Colonel,  I 
remember  it;  but  as  you  weren't  around  attending 
to  your  business,  and  the  cussing  had  to  be  done, 
and  done  at  once,  I  did  it.  Now,  I  hope,  Colonel, 
you'll  be  looking  after  your  business  after  this. 
For,  while  I  can  do  a  little  cussing,  it  goes  agin' 
my  grain  to  do  it,  especially  when  we've  got  a  man 
hired  to  do  it." 

The  colonel  rode  away. 

While  he  was  in  charge  of  the  Freedmen's 
Bureau,  he  went  down  to  Nashville  to  address  the 
colored  people  there.  His  peculiar  manner  of 
speaking  was  such  that  it  made  him  very  popular 
with  the  colored  people.  So,  at  the  close  of  this 
address  at  Nashville,  a  very  old  colored  man, 
whose  head  was  covered  with  an  abundance  of 
wool,  came  to  him  and  said:  "General  Fisk,  they 
have  been  slandering  you  here." 

"Why,"  the  general  said,  "what  have  they  been 
saying  about  me?" 


242  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

"Why,  General,  they've  been  saying  that  you 
belonged  to  that  trash  called  the  Methodists." 

"Why,"  the  general  said,  "are  the  Methodists 
trash  ?" 

"  Indeed  they  are,  General ;  no  earthly  account, 
whatsoever;  regular  upstarts  in  religion.  Who 
ever  heard  tell  of  the  Methodists  in  Bible  times? 
Nobody.  But  don't  we  read  in  the  Blessed  Book 
about  the  Baptists  and  their  great  Baptist  preacher, 
John  the  Baptist?  And  I  know  you're  one  of  us, 
Massa  Clinton  Fisk,  for  no  one  could  talk  as  you 
have  talked  to-day,  unless  he  had  been  washed  all 
over  in  the  Jordan." 

It  was  expected  at  the  time  of  General  Fisk's 
nomination,  that  we  would  draw  great  strength 
from  the  Methodist  Church,  as  that  church  is  the 
largest  in  the  United  States,  and  the  temper- 
ance sentiment  in  the  church  is  very  strong,  and 
as  General  Fisk  was  one  of  the  most  beloved  and 
influential  of  their  lay  members.  In  this  matter, 
however,  we  were  disappointed,  as  we  received 
but  very  little  accession  from  that  church.  But 
General  Fisk  made  a  splendid  canvass,  and 
received  two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  votes, 
which  was  a  hundred  thousand  in  excess  of  the 
vote'  four  years  previous.  General  Fisk  died  in 
1893  or  '94,  at  his  home  in  New  Jersey. 

Our  candidate  for  Vice-President,  Dr.  John  A. 
Brooks,  was  born  and  reared  in  Kentucky.  In 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  243 

early  life  he  entered  the  ministry  in  the  Disciples, 
or  Christian  Church,  and  rose  to  great  fame  as  an 
evangelist  of  that  denomination.  Right  after  the 
close  of  the  Civil  War  he  came  to  Missouri  and 
began  to  take  an  active  part  in  the  temperance 
work,  where  his  eloquence  and  ability  soon  made 
him  leader  in  the  State.  In  1884  he  was  a  candi- 
date for  governor  on  the  Prohibition  ticket,  and 
received  nearly  twelve  thousand  votes.  This 
brought  him  into  national  prominence,  and  he  was 
elected  to  the  head  of  that  great  fraternity,  the 
Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen.  During  the 
campaign  of  1888  he  was  the  storm  center  of 
our  party.  General  Fisk  was  so  influential  in  the 
Methodist  Church  that  the  Republican  press  did 
not  dare  to  attack  him,  so  they  turned  all  their 
batteries  upon  our  candidate  for  Vice-President. 
He  was  a  Southern  man,  at  one  time  a  slave- 
holder, and  during  the  Civil  War  was  supposed  to 
have  been  in  sympathy  with  his  section,  and  as  his 
church  was  much  smaller  than  the  Methodist,  and 
more  than  half  of  it  located  in  the  Southern  States, 
they  concluded  our  candidate  for  Vice-President 
was  our  vulnerable  point,  and  hurled  all  their  shot 
and  shell  against  him.  Denunciation,  abuse,  and 
the  grossest  kind  of  misrepresentation  were  used 
against  him,  but  he  bore  it  grandly,  and  became 
stronger  each  day. 


244  Life  °f  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

Dr.  Brooks  was  a  power  upon  the  platform, 
and  when  aroused  he  was  terrific,  bearing  down 
all  opposition  before  him:  with  his  great  faith  in 
God  and  the  right,  it  made  him  a  mighty  cham- 
pion for  our  cause.  Some  years  ago  he  was  called 
to  the  Christian  Church  of  London,  England. 
While  there  his  health  began  to  fail  him,  and  he 
was  compelled  to  resign  his  charge.  He  returned 
home,  and  died  at  the  home  of  his  daughter,  at 
Memphis,  Tennessee.  He  was  one  of  our  noblest 
and  ablest  defenders.  He  will  long  be  lamented. 

In  1888  I  was  engaged  by  Dr.  George  C.  Cole 
to  go  to  California  and  lecture  before  the  Long 
Beach  Assembly.  I  left  home  on  the  3rd  of  July, 
and  arrived  at  Los  Angeles  on  the  7th,  passing  on 
the  route  many  places  that  were  quite  familiar  to 
me — points  I  had  passed  during  my  trip  across  the 
plains  in  the  early  days  of  my  soldiering. 

On  the  way  out,  while  we  were  in  New  Mexico, 
I  was  one  day  down  at  the  front  end  ot  the  coach 
talking  with  some  passengers,  when  I  heard  a 
confusion  at  the  rear  end  of  the  car,  and  went 
back  to  see  what  the  matter  was.  It  was  a  drunken 
Irishman  threatening  to  clean  out  the  whole  car. 
It  was  the  next  day  after  the  Fourth  of  July,  and 
he  hadn't  worked  off  his  drunk  yet.  The  brake- 
man  was  afraid  of  him,  as  he  had  two  revolvers 
strapped  on  him,  and  so  he  was  having  a  regular 
picnic.  When  I  walked  up  to  him,  he  turned 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  245 

around  fiercely;  but  as  soon  as  he  took  a  glance  at 
me,  a  scared  look  came  upon  his  face,  he  sank 
into  his  seat  in  a  moment,  and  became  silent.  I 
saw  what  he  had  taken  ^me  for,  so  I  gave  him  a 
reproving  look,  took  my  seat,  and  looked  out  of 
the  window. 

In  a  few  minutes  he  came  over  to  where  I  was, 
and  putting  his  hand  upon  my  knee,  said:  "Holy 
Father,  I  hope  you'll  forgive  me  for  this  disgrace- 
ful conduct;  for  disgracing  myself,  and,  above  all, 
for  disgracing  the  grand  old  Church, — and  indeed 
she  is  a  grand  old  Church;  but  you  see,  Holy 
Father,  I  got  to  drinking  yesterday,  and  you  know 
that  boys  will  be  boys,  so  I  got  too  much  aboard, 
and  I'm  afraid  I  misbehaved  myself.  But,  Holy 
Father,  forgive  me,  and  I'll  promise  to  behave 
myself  like  a  gentleman  the  rest  of  the  way." 

I  looked  sternly  at  him,  and  said:  "You  have 
misbehaved  yourself,  you  have  brought  shame  and 
disgrace  upon  the  Church  and  upon  your  native 
country,  so  take  your  seat  and  behave  yourself." 

He  then  slunk  back  into  his  seat;  but  an  hour 
afterward,  as  we  were  nearing  the  station  where  he 
got  off,  he  came  up  to  my  seat  and  said:  "Now, 
Holy  Father,  I  get  off  here,  and,  oh!  Holy  Father, 
if  you  will  give  me  your  blessing,  I'll  pledge 
myself  not  to  drink  another  drop  for  a  year." 

I  gave  him  my  blessing,  made  him  take  the 
pledge  for  a  year,  bade  him  good-day,  and  after- 


246  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

ward,  during  all  the  rest  of  the  journey,  I  was 
called  the  "Holy  Father"  by  all  of  the  passengers. 

I  have  often  been  taken  for  a  Catholic  priest  in 
my  travels.  I  do  not  know  why,  because  I  do 
not  dress  in  a  priestly  way.  I  can  only  account 
for  it  on  the  ground  that  I  am  a  large  man,  with 
smooth-shaven  face  and  a  contented  look.  I  am 
almost  invariably  taken  for  a  minister. 

When  I  took  my  train  at  Pierce  City,  twenty 
miles  from  my  home,  I  got  into  the  smoker.  I 
did  it  for  the  reason  that  the  rest  of  the  train  was 
very  much  crowded.  At  Joplin  my  coach  was 
filled  up  with  a  lot  of  cursing,  carousing  miners. 
They  packed  the  coach  full,  and  they  all  were 
drunk.  I  couldn't  get  out  after  they  came  in,  so 
I  concluded  to  grin  and  bear  it.  I  have  found  out 
long  since  by  experience,  that  by  paying  no  atten- 
tion to  drunken  men,  not  even  looking  at  them, 
they  will  pay  no  attention  to  you.  These  drunken 
miners  were  from  the  mining  towns  in  Kansas,  so 
they  had  come  into  Joplin,  which  was  near  by,  to 
fill  up  and  get  their  supply  for  "the  Fourth." 
Two  drunken  feltows,  standing  right  over  me  and 
drinking  a  bottle  of  beer,  spilt  some  of  the  beer  on 
my  duster.  As  drunk  as  they  were,  they  begged 
my  pardon,  and  with  their  handkerchiefs  tried  to 
wipe  the  beer  off.  At  the  first  station  quite  a 
number  got  off. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  247 

Now  I  noticed  a  bad-looking  fellow,  not  as 
drunk  as  the  others,  yet  just  drunk  enough  to  be 
mean  and  savage.  He  had  his  evil  eye  on  me,  and 
I  saw  that  he  was  intending  to  get  up  a  racket 
with  me  if  he  could;  so  I  was  determined  not  to 
look  at  him,  and  to  pay  no  attention  to  him,  but  I 
began  to  hear  him  call  me  names.  I  heard  him 
say:  "See  that  damn  big  fellow  over  there.  He 
thinks  he's  a  better  man  than  I  am.  I  could  lick 
him  in  a  minute."  All  the  while  his  drunken 
associates  were  trying  to  quiet  him. 

I  then  got  up  and  took  off  my  duster,  and  that 
seemed  to  make  him  madder  than  ever.  I  thought 
it  would,  but  I  was  determined  to  be  all  ready  in 
case  of  an  emergency.  I  heard  him  swear  that 
he  was  going  to  come  over  and  collect  my  fare, 
and  that  he  would  "stamp  hell"  out  of  me.  He 
then  started  for  me. 

Very  fortunately  I  had  a  cane  made  of  Osage 
orange  timber.  It  wouldn't  do  much  service  in 
striking,  but  a  whole  lot  in  punching.  So  I  rose 
to  my  feet,  and  said  to  those  who  were  trying  to 
keep  him  off:  "If  he  advances  to  my  seat,  he  dies 
that  very  moment." 

They  said :  "Oh!  don't  hurt  him;  we  can  hold 
him." 

We  now  got  to  the  station  where  they  were  to 
get  off.  They  started  to  take  him  by  my  seat.  I 
told  them  to  turn  and  take  him  the  other  way,  for 


248  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

if  he  passed  my  seat  I  would  kill  him.  I  knew 
that  if  he  got  near  my  seat,  he  would  go  for  me.  I 
had  no  fears  of  any  personal  harm  from  him,  except 
that  he  could  tear  my  clothes.  The  last  I  saw  of 
the  poor  devil,  they  had  him  out  on  the  platform, 
and  he  was  yelling  and  cursing  and  trying  to  get 
away  from  them.  The  railroad  men  told  me 
afterward  that  they  would  not  have  let  him  touch 
me;  but  they  didn't  seem  to  be  very  much  in  evi- 
dence at  the  time  of  the  fuss. 

Without  any  more  stirring  events,  we  arrived 
'at  Los  Angeles  on  Saturday  night.  At  Los 
Angeles  I  was  the  guest  of  Mr.  Gould,  the  leading 
Prohibitionist  of  California  at  that  time.  Los 
Angeles  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  cities  I  have 
ever  seen,  and  Pasadena,  ten  miles  out,  is  so 
beautiful  that  it  is  indescribable.  Pasadena  was  a 
city  of  ten  thousand  at  that  time.  Los  Angeles 
had  fifty  thousand. 

Long  Beach,  where  the  assembly  was  to  meet, 
was  twenty  miles  out  from  Los  Angeles.  I  have 
never  seen  its  equal  as  a  beach.  At  the  assembly 
I  had  the  pleasure  of  making  the  acquaintance  of 
ex-Governor  Cumback  of  Indiana,  Colonel  Cope- 
land,  of  Harrisburg,  Pennsylvania,  Robert  Nourse, 
of  Washington,  D.  C.,'  Rev.  Dr.  Stocker,  and 
others.  I  also  had  the  pleasure  of  meeting  with 
Rev.  Dr.  Cobb,  of  Minnesota,  who  was  chaplain  of 
the  House  when  I  was  a  member  in  that  State. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  249 

At  the  close  of  the  assembly  I  received  a  letter 
from  Samuel  Dickie,  telling-  me  to  remain  on  the 

o 

coast  and  speak  there  during  the  entire  campaign, 
under  the  direction  of-  the  National  Prohibition 
Committee.  I  spoke  a  week  in  Los  Angeles,  from 
the  steps  of  the  court-house,  to  immense  audiences 
each  night.  I  spoke  four  nights  at  San  Diego, 
from  the  band-stand  in  the  public  plaza,  to  big 
audiences. 

I  spoke  at  Santa  Ana  to  a  very  fine  gathering, 
right  under  the  electric-light  mast.  While  I  was 
speaking,  I  noticed  a  rather  large  man  standing  a 
little  way  off  from  the  rest  of  the  meeting,  leaning 
up  against  a  tree.  All  at  once,  right  while  I  was 
speaking,  he  shouted:  "Hurrah  for  Harrison!" 
The  people  all  jumped  to  their  feet — at  least  many 
of  them  did. 

I  said  to  the  people:  "Be  seated.  Ladies  and 
gentlemen,  it  is  a  part  of  my  nature  to  be  a  little 
skeptical,  and  I  must  confess  to  you  in  all  frank- 
ness, that  when  I  have  read  in  the  Bible  that  story 
of  Balaam's  ass  speaking  upon  one  occasion,  I  have 
always  doubted  it;  but,  ladies  and  gentlemen, 
I  congratulate  you,  and  I  congratulate  myself, 
upon  the  events  of  this  evening,  for  all  doubts  of 
the  authenticity  of  that  story  have  been  removed 
from  us  to-night.  For  lo  and  behold!  yonder  ass 
over  there  has  spoken,  the  first  one  that  has 
spoken  for  over  four  thousand  years." 


250  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

It  was  some  time  before  I  was  permitted  to  go 
on,  and  meanwhile  the  man  had  disappeared. 

A  few  days  afterward,  up  at  Los  Angeles,  I 
met  a  gentleman  from  Santa  Ana,  and  asked  him  if 
Mr.  M—  -  had  been  seen  since  that  night. 

He  said:  "No,  he  has  been  invisible  to  all  since 
then.  I  think  he  must  have  ascended." 

I  spoke  for  ten  nights  in  the  old  Lyceum 
theater,  in  San  Francisco.  Dr.  McDonald,  who 
was  then  conducting  the  Prohibition  work  in  that 
city,  hired  the  old  Lyceum  theater  on  Market 
Street,  the  principal  street  of  the  city,  and  engaged 
a  band  to  play  each  night  out  on  the  front  veranda; 
and  it  was  one  of  the  best  bands  of  the  city:  he 
also  hired  an  orchestra  to  play  during  the  entire 
time;  and  Mrs.  Spencer,  his  daughter,  one  of  the 
finest  musicians  in  California,  and  educated  in 
Germany,  organized  a  choir  to  sing,  and  we  packed 
the  old  theater  full,  the  capacity  being  three 
thousand  people. 

I  was  in  San  Francisco  on  election  day,  and  as 
San  Francisco  time  is  four  hours  behind  that  of 
New  York,  before  the  sun  had  gone  down  we 
knew  how  the  nation  had  gone.  I  remember  the 
night  before  the  election,  the  Democrats  had  a 
great  torch-light  procession,  and  as  they  marched 
along  they  sang:  "Four,  four,  four  years  more." 
A  few  nights  after  the  election,  the  Republicans 
had  a  big  torch-light  procession,  singing:  "Four 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  251 

four,  only  four  months  more."  So  that's  the  way 
politics  go. 

Two  or  three  nights  before  the  presidential 
election,  I  was  standing  on  Kearney  Street,  and 
on  the  same  corner  with  me  was  a  very  red-nosed 
citizen.  While  we  were  standing  there,  down 
from  a  hall  came  a  Republican  club  of  men  and 
women,  swinging  their  white  handkerchiefs  and 
shouting:  "Harrison,  Harrison,  Harrison!" 

After  they  had  passed  along,  the  red-nosed 
man  turned  to  me  and  said:  "My  God!  my  God! 
has  it  come  to  this?  Women!  women  taking  a  part 
in  street  parades.  Well,  if  the  women  come  into 
politics,  I  go  out  of  it." 

"  I  didn't  say  anything,  but  I  wanted  to  say  to 
him:  "M«y  dear  friend,  you  can  withdraw  from  pol- 
itics just  as  soon  as  you  have  a  mind  to,  and  you 
can  depend  upon  it,  the  nation  will  not  be  the 
loser." 

In  a  few  days  after  the  election,  I  returned  to 
the  East,  stopping  off  for  a  day  or  so  at  Salt  Lake 
City,  where  I  found  a  wonderful  change  since  I 
had  been  there  in  1858.  I  found  a  finely  built  city, 
with  fifty  thousand  inhabitants. 

I  arrived  home  just  in  time  for  Thanksgiving. 
After  a  rest  of  a  month  and  a  little  over,  I  started 
out  again,  speaking  in  Missouri,  when  I  was  called 
to  Pennsylvania,  about  the  first  of  March,  to  take 
part  in  the  Prohibition  campaign.  The  vote  was 


252  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

to  be  taken  in  June.  I  opened  the  campaign  at 
Pittsburg,  speaking  almost  every  night  until  the 
election,  the  17th  of  June. 

On  Decoration  Day,  the  30th  of  May,  I  spoke 
at  the  town  of  Warriorsmark,  in  Huntingdon 
County.  It  rained  hard  all  night,  and  in  the 
morning  I  had  to  start  at  four  o'clock  with  a  team 
to  Tyrone,  in  order  to  get  the  train  going  through 
to  Mt.  Pleasant,  where  I  was  to  speak  that  night. 
It  had  been  raining  heavily  for  several  days,  and  as 
the  train  started  out  from  Tyrone,  I  thought  I 
never  saw  it  rain  harder,  unless  it  was  in  a  thun- 
der-storm. We  took  breakfast  at  Altoona,  and 
there  we  began  to  climb  the  Alleghany  Mountains. 
I  noticed  as  we  were  going  up  among  the  moun- 
tains, that  the  rain  was  pouring  in  torrents,  and 
we  could  see  the  foaming  rivulets  rushing  down 
the  hillsides.  We  arrived  at  Cresson,  on  the  top  of 
the  mountain,  all  right ;  but  when  we  left  there, 
we  ran  out  about  half  a  mile  and  stopped.  After 
waiting  a  little  while,  we  were  shoved  back  to  the 
depot  and  side-tracked.  We  were  told  that  a  cul- . 
vert  had  been  washed  out,  and  must  be  repaired. 
Soon  up  came  a  gang  of  men  from  Altoona,  and 
they  worked  there  in  the  rain  for  hours. 

In  the  coach  with  me,  a  beautiful  little  girl  and 
her  mother  were  among  the  passengers.  The 
little  girl  became  the  favorite  of  everybody.  She 
told  me  that  she  was  going  to  Monongahela  city 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  253 

to  visit  her  grandpa  and  grandma;  but,  alas!  the 
beautiful  child  was  never  to  see  them. 

About  two  o'clock  I  got  very  hungry,  and 
asked  the  brakeman  how  long  it  would  be  before 
we  would  be  able  to  start  out. 

"  Oh,"  he  said,  "two  hours." 

I  borrowed  a  gentleman's  umbrella  to  go  to 
town  and  get  my  dinner.  The  distance  might 
have  been  a  quarter  of  a  mile.  When  I  got  off, 
an  idea  struck  me,  and  I  went  back  and  got  my 
grip  and  put  it  in  the  depot.  I  then  went  down  to 
the  hotel,  leisurely  ate  my  dinner,  had  a  dinner 
put  up  for  my  friend,  and  started  out  on  the  rail- 
road to  return.  Just  as  I  struck  the  railroad,  I 
saw  my  train  starting,  and  the  man  of  whom  I  had 
borrowed  the  umbrella  was  on  the  rear  end  of  the 
train,  beckoning  his  hand  to  me. 

Well,  I  went  down  to  the  depot  and  vented  my 
rage  on  the  agent;  but  the  agent  tried  to  console 
me  by  telling  me  another  train  would  be  along 
in  about  an  hour.  When  the  train  arrived,  lo  and 
behold!  the  culvert  had  washed  out  again;  so  the 
train  was  ordered  to  return  to  Altoona.  Getting- 

o 

back  to  Altoona,  we  remained  there  all  night. 

In  the  morning  stories  of  destruction  came  to  us 
on  every  hand.  Among  the  delayed  passengers  I 
found  an  old  friend  of  mine,  Rev.  D.  C.  Milner, 
then  of  Ottawa,  Kansas,  now  of  Chicago.  Shortly 
after  breakfast  we  were  assembled  in  the  Logan 


254  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

House  and  addressed  by  one  of  the  officials  of  the 
Pennsylvania  system.  He  told  us  that  we  were 
water  bound;  that  the  floods  had  washed  away  the 
railroads  and  the  telegraph  poles,  but  to  what 
extent  he  did  not  know,  nor  could  he  tell  us  how 
soon  we  would  be  able  to  leave;  but  he  told  us  to 
make  ourselves  comfortable,  and  that  the  railroad 
would  pay  the  bill. 

News  came  that  Johnstown  had  been  destroyed  ; 
but  we  thought  it  was  wild,  and  paid  no  attention 
to  it.  Among  the  passengers  at  the  Logan 
House  was  a  gentleman  by  the  name  of  Rose,  if  I 
remember  rightly,  from  Johnstown,  who  was  a 
member  of  the  legislature.  He  was  very  anxious 
to  get  to  Johnstown,  as  all  of  his  family  were  there, 
except  his  wife,  who  was  with  him.  There  was  a 
little  road  running  from  Altoona  to  Ebensburg,  a 
distance  of  thirty  miles.  That  road  was  all  right, 
and  he  said  we  could  take  that  road  and  go  to 

o 

Ebensburg,  and  there  we  could  get  a  team  to 
Blairsville,  on  the  west  Pennsylvania  road;  then 
we  could  easily  go  through  to  Pittsburg  and  west. 
I  was  extremely  anxious  to  go,  as  I  was  dis- 
appointing an  audience  every  night  that  I  didn't 
get  through ;  so  eight  of  us  started  out.  We 
arrived  at  Ebensburg  all  right;  but  when  we 
reached  there,  we  found  that  the  terrible  reports 
of  disaster  had  been  verified.  Fugitives  had 
already  begun  to  come  over  from  Johnstown.  I 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  255 

learned  that  the  train  that  had  gone  off  and  left  me 
had  run  down  to  Southfork,  twelve  miles  from 
Cresson,  and  there  they  had  found  another  washed- 
out  culvert;  and  while  they  were  waiting  there, 
that  terrible  flood  from  the  reservoir — the  flood 
at  that  point  being  seventy  feet  high — struck 
them  and  swept  them  all  into  oblivion,  with  the 
exception  of  two  passengers.  Two  gentlemen 
happened  to  be  standing  on  the  platform,  and 
they  heard  the  roar,  and  saw  the  terrible  wave 
coming.  They  gave  the  alarm  as  well  as  they 
could,  and  ran  up  the  hillside,  barely  saving  them- 
selves. 

The  next  morning  we  started  for  Blairsville. 
About  noon  we  reached  the  little  town  of  Armagh, 
where  we  learned  that  all  of  the  bridges  to  Blairs- 
ville were  gone;  but  we  learned,  that  by  turning 
off  the  turnpike  and  going  four  miles,  we  would 
reach  the  little  town  of  Nineveh,  and  that  the  trains 
were  already  running  from  Sang  Hollow,  four 
miles  west  of  Johnstown,  through  to  Pittsburg. 
So  we  turned  off  and  went  down  to  Nineveh. 

Arriving  at  Nineveh,  I  beheld  something  that 
was  terrible.  Six  hundred  dead  persons  had  been 
taken  out  at  that  point;  persons  of  every  age,  sex, 
and  condition.  Part  of  them  had  been  washed, 
and  clean  garments  put  upon  them.  I  saw  sixteen 
little  babies;  perhaps  the  oldest  was  not  more  than 
two  or  three  years  of  age.  They  had  been  neatly 


256  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

washed  and  nicely  dressed.  At  another  place  I 
saw  eleven  saloon-keepers.  They  had  been 
washed  and  dressed  and  were  lying  side  by  side. 
They  had  been  identified,  and  tags  with  their 
names  and  occupation  had  been  pinned  on  their 
coats. 

At  four  o'clock  the  train  came,  and  I  left  the 
scene  of  horror,  and  arrived  at  Greensburg  in  time 
to  speak  that  night.  The  word  had  gone  out,  and 
been  telegraphed  to  Chicago,  where  the  Right 
Worthy  Grand  Lodge  of  Good  Templars  was  in 
session,  that  I  was  on  the  ill-fated  train,  and  had 
been  drowned.  I  am  happy  to  say  it  was  a 
mistake. 

The  result  of  the  contest  was  our  overwhelm- 
ing defeat.  The  political  machines  of  both  the 
Democratic  and  Republican  parties  joined  together 
and  overwhelmed  us.  They  believed  that  one 
terrible,  crushing  defeat  would  end  forever  the 
Prohibition  agitation.  They  were  mistaken.  No 
question  is  settled  until  it  is  settled  right. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  257 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

Taking  a  rest — Speaking  in   Michigan,   Illinois,  and  the  Dakotas — 
Back  to  Pennsylvania  again. 

After  the  election  in  Pennsylvania,  I  returned  to 
the  West.  After  taking  a  little  rest,  I  resumed 
work.  During  the  campaign  in  Michigan  for  the 
prohibitory  amendment,  I  spoke  in  the  upper 
peninsula  in  the  copper  and  iron  region  of  the 
State.  In  September  I  went  to  South  Dakota, 
where  a  separate  article  prohibiting  the  liquor 
traffic  had  been  submitted  to  those  two  new  States, 
and  the  Right  Worthy  Grand  Lodge  sent  me  to 
them  to  labor  in  its  behalf.  No  hope  was  enter- 
tained for  North  Dakota,  as  an  overwhelming 
majority  of  her  voters  were  foreign-born  citizens; 
but  all  were  sanguine  and  hopeful  for  South 
Dakota.  I  spoke  in  all  the  principal  towns  in 
both  North  and  South  Dakota;  and  to  the  aston- 
ishment of  all,  it  was  found  that  both  North  and 
South  Dakota  had  been  carried  for  prohibition : 
South  Dakota  by  twelve  thousand,  and  North 
Dakota  by  twelve  hundred.  The  Scandinavian 
vote  had  saved  it,  and  prohibition  was  enacted  in 
both  States.  But  South  Dakota  has  gone  back  to 
the  license  system,  while  North  Dakota  seems  to 
be  as  solid  as  Gibraltar. 


258  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

After  the  contest  was  over  in  the  Dakotas,  I 
returned  to  Pennsylvania.  On  the  way  I  took  in 
the  National  Woman's  Christian  Temperance 
Union  Convention  at  Chicago.  It  was  the  last 
time  that  I  ever  saw  Miss  Willard  presiding  over 
that  great  body. 

I  remember  during  its  session  I  induced  a 
countryman  of  mine,  who  was  a  liquor  dealer,  to 
go  over  and  look  in  upon  the  convention  from  my 
seat  in  the  gallery.  He  was  a  man  of  education 
and  intelligence.  I  remember  as  we  left  the  hall, 
when  I  asked  him  what  he  thought  of  the  conven- 
tion, he  said:  "Why,  I  am  amazed.  Did  I  know 
that  there  was  not  another  person  in  the  United 
States  opposed  to  our  business,  except  those 
women  in  that  convention,  I  would  know  that  our 
business  could  not  live  twenty-five  years.  But  it 
will  last  during  my  day."  He  died  about  two 
months  after  that. 

I  lectured  in  Pennsylvania  through  that  winter 
and  spring,  up  until  the  first  of  June,  when  I 
returned  to  the  West. 

After  a  few  days'  rest,  I  went  to  Nebraska  to  take 
part  in  the  campaign  for  prohibition  in  that  State. 
That  was  by  all  odds  the  bitterest  campaign 
I  have  ever  been  through.  To  give  my  readers 
an  idea  of  the  bitterness  of  the  campaign,  at  a  hotel 
where  I  was  stopping  in  Omaha,  the  barbers  at 
the  hotel  barber-shop  refused  to  shave  me,  because 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  259 

I  was  speaking  for  prohibition.  I  first  spoke  there 
with  Colonel  Demaree  of  Kentucky,  in  his  tent,  in 
Omaha,  Plattsmouth,  and  at  Kearney. 

I  then  went  to  Kentucky  to  assist  Colonel 
Demaree  in  his  prohibition  camp-meeting  at 
Ashland.  After  the  close  of  the  Ashland  camp- 
meeting  I  spent  a  couple  of  weeks  in  his  lovely 
home  at  College  Hill.  (He  lives  now  at  Union 
Mills,  Kentucky.) 

Returning  to  Nebraska,  I  spoke  there  until  the 
close  of  the  campaign.  When  our  friends  came  to 
the  ballot-box  in  that  State,  they  found  themselves 
wholly  unable  to  protect  their  own  voters  at  the 
polls.  The  voters  were  maltreated,  men  knocked 
down  at  the  polls,  beaten  with  bludgeons,  and  then 
the  fraud  in  counting  the  vote  was  as  wicked  and 
as  corrupt  as  anything  that  was  ever  done  in  this 
country.  Yet  our  friends  were  helpless  for  redress, 
there  being  no  provision  by  which  a  contest  could 
be  made.  The  amendment  was  declared  lost  by 
forty-thousand  majority,  when  it  was  actually 
carried  by  more  than  that. 

After  the  contest  was  decided  in  Nebraska,  I 
returned  to  Illinois,  where  I  lectured  during  that 
fall,  winter,  and  spring.  Lecturing  in  Missouri  in 
the  autumn,  I  then  passed  over  into  Michigan,  then 
back  into  Ohio,  and  then  into  Illinois  again,  where 
on  the  1st  of  January,  1892,  I  began  work  again 
for  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Good  Templars. 


260  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

While  I  was  speaking  in  Champaign,  I  received 
information,  just  as  I  was  going  on  to  the  platform 
to  lecture,  that  my  mother-in-law,  Mrs.  Lemen, 
was  dead.  I  shall  never  forget  with  what  dif- 
ficulty I  lectured  that  evening,  until  something 
seemed  to  speak  to  me  and  say:  "Why  are  you 
depressed?  She  would  have  you  to  do  just  what 
you  are  doing.  She  is  dead,  but  she  speaketh 
through  you.  Go  forward  now  in  the  line  of  duty." 
From  that  moment  everything  was  changed,  and  I 
spoke  with  my  accustomed  vivacity. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  261 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

My  mother-in-law's  funeral — Return  home — A  few  days'  rest  — 
Return  to  Illinois — Nominated  for  governor — Letter  of  acceptance — 
Canvass  for  governor — A  few  days'  rest  after  the  election — Lecturing  in 
Illinois  and  Ohio — Attend  the  World's  Fair — Enter  into  partnership  with 
Dr.  Tracy. 

After  lecturing  that  night,  I  proceeded  to 
Collinsville,  near  St.  Louis,  where  I  met  the  funeral 
party,  consisting  of  Rev.  J.  G.  Lemen,  Mrs.  Helen 
Denny,  of  Vincennes,  Indiana,  and  Mrs.  Sobieski. 
After  the  interment  I  went  to  Neosho  with 
Mrs.  Sobieski  and  Mrs.  Denny,  and  after  a  few 
days  there  I  returned  to  Illinois,  where  I  lectured 
until  the  latter  part  of  June. 

The  last  place  visited  at  this  time  was  the  town 
of  Magnolia,  in  Putnam  County,  a  town,  I  suppose, 
of  perhaps  a  thousand  population,  or  thereabout. 
It  is  off  the  railroad  some  eight  or  ten  miles,  in  a 
very  rich  country,  and  the  people  are  an  excellent 
class  of  people.  After  lecturing  and  returning  to 
my  hotel,  I  sat  up  and  wrote  till  about  half  past 
eleven  o'clock,  and  before  going  to  bed  I  wound  my 
watch,  a  beautiful  gold  watch  that  had  been  given 
me  by  Dr.  William  Ross,  the  great  temperance 
lecturer,  and  which  I  prized  more  highly  than  any 
other  property  I  ever  possessed;  and  little  did  I 
think  I  was  looking  at  it  for  the  last  time,  when  I 


262  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

looked  to  see  what  time  it  was.  I  then  retired,  and 
the  next  thing  I  knew,  about  half  past  two  that 
morning,  a  band  of  robbers  had  entered.  They 
had  burst  into  the  house,  and  after  running  all  the 
guests  into  my  room,  they  proceeded  to  loot  the 
house,  and  rob  the  guests  of  everything  they 
possessed. 

They  struck  me  at  a  very  bad  time.  I  had  on 
my  person  one  hundred  and  ten  dollars  of  the 
Grand  Lodge  funds,  and  two  hundred  dollars  of 
my  own  money.  I  was  intending  the  following 
Monday  (the  robbery  was  committed  Saturday 
night)  to  pay  on  some  property  I  had  purchased 
in  California,  and  so  I  had  not  converted  my 
currency  into  drafts,  which  I  usually  did  when  I 
had  much  money  about  me.  So  I  was  left  among 
strangers  without  a  penny  in  my  pocket ;  but  that 
same  day,  however,  the  Masonic  Lodge  of  that 
place  made  me  a  present  of  twenty-five  dollars, 
and  the  lodge  of  Good  Templars  did  likewise. 
This  generous  action  upon  the  part  of  the  Good 
Templar  and  Masonic  lodges  of  that  place,  I  have 
ever  appreciated,  as  it  came  wholly  unsolicited 
by  me.  The  Grand  Lodge  of  Good  Templars 
afterward  canceled  their  claim  upon  me  for  the 
hundred  and  ten  dollars. 

The  next  week  I  attended  the  National  Prohi- 
bition Convention  held  at  Cincinnati.  We  had 
quite  a  stormy  session  over  the  silver  question,  an 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  263 

attempt  being  made  to  endorse  the  free  coinage  of 
silver.  The  movement  was  led  by  Governor 
St.  John  of  Kansas.  It  failed,  but  we  put  almost 
every  other  reform  in  the  platform.  That  has 
always  been  the  great  stumbling-block,  in  my 
opinion,  of  the  Prohibition  party:  attempting  to 
do  everything  at  once.  The  convention  nomi- 
nated for  President  John  Bidwell  of  California,  and 
for  Vice-President  James  B.  Cranfill  of  Texas. 

General  Bidwell  is  the  only  one  of  the  candi- 
dates ever  nominated  by  the  Prohibition  party, 
whom  I  have  never  had  the  pleasure  of  meeting. 
The  general  was  born  in  Ohio,  went  to  California 
as  early  as  1839,  and  became  one  of  the  great 
landholders  of  that  State.  He  has  been  elected 
to  Congress  from  that  State,  and  has  held  other 

o 

places  of  honor  and  trust.  He  is  a  man  of  sterling 
integrity,  and  is  honored  by  all  who  know  him. 

The  candidate  for  Vice-President,  Mr.  Cranfill, 
is  a  Baptist  clergyman  of  high  standing  in  his 
church,  and  the  acknowledged  leader  of  the  tem- 
perance people  of  Texas. 

In  May  that  year  (1892)  the  Prohibition  Con- 
vention of  Missouri  met  in  Chillicothe,  and 
nominated  me  for  governor.  I  was  not  present 
in  the  convention,  being  in  Canada  at  that  time 
lecturing.  It  was  some  days  before  I  received  the 
announcement  of  my  nomination,  and  I  was  quite 
surprised  thereat.  I  did  not  desire  the  nomination, 


264  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

and  there  were  other  reasons  which,  had  I  been 
present,  would  have  compelled  me  to  decline  it.  I 
so  wrote  to  Dr.  Brooks,  and  to  Hon.  D.  Ward  King, 
the  chairman  of  our  State  committee,  telling  them 
that  I  could  not  see  my  way  clear  to  accept  the 
nomination.  But  they  prevailed  upon  meto  accept, 
and  I  did  so  in  the  following  letter: 

Hori.  D.    Ward  King,  Maitland,   Missouri. 

MY  DEAR  SIR: — Your  letter  of  recent  date,  as  chairman 
of  the  Prohibition  State  Committee  informing  me  of  my  nom- 
ination for  the  office  of  governor  of  the  State  of  Missouri,  is 
received  and  its  contents  noted. 

To  have  one's  name  mentioned  in  connection  with  the  high 
office  of  governor  of  our  great  State,  an  office  that  has  been 
filled  by  so  many  of  its  gifted  sons,  is  an  honor  which  I  highly 
appreciate.  But  to  be  nominated  by  a  convention  like  that 
which  recently  assembled  at  Chillicothe,  composed,  as  it  was,  of 
the  bravest  men  and  most  intellectual  women,  is  an  honor, 
indeed,  which  one  cannot  too  highly  esteem  and  prize.  1  have 
examined  the  platform  laid  down  by  the  convention,  and  I 
heartily  endorse  it. 

The  liquor  problem  has  been  considered  by  all  thoughtful 
men  and  women  one  of  the  most  difficult  problems  to  meet  and 
solve.  In  our  State  we  first  tried  the  so-called  Downing  law, 
which  many  hoped  would  give  relief  from  the  baneful  effects 
of  the  liquor  traffic;  but  that  proved  disappointing.  Then  we 
tried  the  local-option  law.  When  that  was  enacted,  we  were 
greatly  rejoiced,  believing  a  great  step  forward  had  been  made. 
We  entered  into  the  contest  with  enthusiasm,  and  more  than 
eighty  counties  of  our  State  were  carried  against  the  liquor 
traffic.  But  in  most  of  these  counties  the  elections  have  been 
set  aside  by  subservient  courts,  and  in  a  large  number  of  others 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  265 

the  laws  have  been  rendered  largely  ineffective  by  the  unfaith- 
ful prosecuting  attorneys  acting  in  the  interests  of  the  political 
parties  that  stand  behind  the  liquor  traffic.  So  it  seems  to  us 
now  that  there  is  but  one  way  out  of  it,  and  that  must  be  through 
a  political  party  that  is  unanimously  opposed  to  the  traffic,  and 
pledged  to  its  entire  destruction.  Nor  do  we  stand  alone  in  our 
views  on  the  importance  of  the  liquor  problem.  The  Globe- 
Democrat  of  our  State,  the  largest  and  ablest  Republican  paper 
in  the  nation,  declared  a  few  years  ago  that  the  supremacy  of 
the  saloon-keeper's  influence  was  complete;  and  The  St.  Louis 
Republic,  the  greatest  Democratic  organ  in  the  Southwest, 
smarting  under  the  terriffic  blows  that  were  dealt  the  Democratic 
party  by  the  liquor  interests,  caused  by  the  enactment  of  the 
local-option  law,  declared  that  the  saloon  was  the  greatest 
menace  to  the  purity  of  our  politics  and  the  independent  action 
of  legislators.  Our  own  observation  teaches  us  the  same  thing 
— aye,  it  teaches  us  more:  that  it  is  not  only  the  power  behind 
the  throne,  but  it  is  the  throne  itself.  The  distinguished 
gentlemen  who  have  been  nominated  for  the  same  office  that  I 
have — gentlemen  whose  characters  are  such  that  they  cannot 
have  any  possible  sympathy  with  this  traffic — would  not  dare 
to  say  one  word  either  publicly  or  privately  against  it.  Our 
party  alone  appeals  to  the  Christian,  moral,  and  patriotic 
elements  of  our  State  and  nation  to  enter  our  ranks  to  combat 
and  overcome  this  giant  evil. 

I  am  glad  to  note  that  while  the  convention  was  thus  so 
bravely  outspoken  against  the  liquor  evil,  yet  they  just  as  fear- 
lessly grappled  with  other  social  questions. 

That  one-half  of  our  people  should  be  disfranchised  on 
account  of  their  sex — and  that  sex  just  as  intellectual,  and  con- 
fessedly much  more  moral — is  manifestly  so  unjust,  that  to  me 
it  seems  superfluous  t6  argue  it.  Suffrage  should  be  predicated 
upon  intelligence,  and  upon  intelligence  alone. 


266  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

The  currency  question  is  another  question  to  which  the 
convention  addressed  itself,  and  I  agree  with  the  convention 
that  the  money  of  our  country,  whether  gold,  silver,  or  paper, 
should  be  equal  to  the  business  demands  of  the  country,  and 
should  not  be  less  than  fifty  dollars  per  capita. 

The  government  ownership  of  railroads  and  telegraphs  I 
have  long  advocated,  and  it  is  no  longer  an  experiment.  It 
has  been  tried  in  both  Canada  and  Europe,  and  the  electric- 
light  and  water-works  systems,  predicated  upon  the  same  prin- 
ciple, have  been  tried,  and  have  in  every  case  proven  successful. 

The  public  domain  of  our  country  should  be  carefully 
guarded,  so  that  foreigners  could  not  in  any  way  be  owners. 
Our  public  lands  should  be  for  Americans,  and  for  Ameri- 
cans only. 

I  fully  coincide  with  the  convention  in  its  views  on  the 
school  question.  Our  public  schools  are  the  universities  of  our 
plain  people,  and  the  glory  of  our  nation  ;  and  religious  bigotry 
must  not  be  permitted  to  attack  them.  The  motto  of  every 
true  American  should  be:  "A  school-house  on  every  hilltop, 
and  no  saloons  in  the  valley." 

The  criminal  institutions  of  our  State  should,  in  my 
opinion,  be  so  conducted  that  they  may  be  as  free  as  pos- 
sible from  the  spirit  of  vindictive  punishment;  and  the  one 
object  in  view  should  be  for  the  moral  and  intellectual  improve- 
ment and  reformation  of  the  unfortunate  inmates.  That  the 
lash  is  still  permitted  in  our  prison  is  a  shame  and  disgrace  to 
our  State.  It  belongs  only  to  the  age  of  the  rack  and  the 
thumbscrew.  And  I  believe,  further,  that  the  prisoners 
should  be  paid  for  their  labor;  and,  with  this  in  view,  that  the 
contract  system  should  be  abolished  and  the  work  done  inside 
the  prison  walls,  and  that,  after  deducting  the  cost  of  clothing 
and  feeding  the  convicts,  the  balance  of  their  earnings  should 
be  kept  and  turned  over  to  the  convict  at  the  end  of  his  term, 
except  those  who  have  families,  and  their  earnings  should  be 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  267 

sent  to  the  families  at  the  end  of  each  month.  This  would 
enable  the  convict  to  support  his  family,  and  it  would  enable 
the  man  without  a  family  to  have  a  sufficient  sum  of  money 
ready  when  he  closes  his  term  to  start  anew  in  life,  instead  of 
leaving  the  prison  penniless — as  is  often  the  case — and  being 
driven  back  to  a  life  of  crime ;  and  it  would  also  prevent 
cheap  prison  contract  labor  from  coming  in  competition  with 
the  labor  outside  of  the  prison.  I  feel  that,  in  advocating  this 
humane  view  of  the  prison  question,  we  should  have  the  hearty 
cooperation  of  the  Democratic,  Republican,  and  Populist  parties, 
inasmuch  as  every  convict  in  the  nation  is  either  a  Democrat, 
Republican,  or  a  Populist. 

I  believe  that  our  tax  laws  should  be  so  readjusted  that  the 
residences,  or  homes,  of  our  people  should  be  free  from  taxa- 
tion, except  where  their  value  is  more  than  two  thousand 
dollars.  Taxation  should  be  upon  people's  luxuries,  and  not 
upon  their  necessities.  I  believe  that  all  church  property 
should  be  taxed. 

Thus  going  before  the  people  of  the  State  of  Missouri,  and 
the  nation,  so  manifestly  just  and  right,  we  have  a  right  to 
demand  their  sober  and  intelligent  consideration.  We  are  not 
afraid  of  the  sting  of  defeat,  as  we  know  that  victory  has 
always  been  rocked  in  the  cradle  of  reverses.  But  with  our 
faith  in  God  and  the  American  people,  and  with  supreme 
confidence  in  the  justice  of  our  cause,  we  go  forth  to  battle, 
and  ultimately  to  victory. 

JOHN  SOBIESKI. 
NEOSHO,   MISSOURI,  August  3,  1892. 

I  opened  the  campaign  at  Fayette,  Missouri, 
and  spoke  every  night  from  then  on  until  the  night 
before  the  election,  closing  at  my  home,  in  Neosho. 

The  contest  was  noted  for  one  thing,  and  that 
was  the  utter  lack  of  spirit  or  enthusiasm  on  the 


268  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

part  of  the  old  parties,  except  in  Missouri  between 
the  candidates  for  governor.  The  State  of  Missouri 
is  strongly  Democratic,  but  internal  dissension  in 
the  Democratic  party  had  reduced  their  majority, 
and  the  Populist  party  had  drawn  a  large  propor- 
tion of  their  strength  from  the  Democrats.  This  had 
given  the  Republicans  hope  that  they  might  at 
least  elect  the  governor;  so  they  nominated  Colonel 
Warner  of  Kansas  City,  a  man  whose  personal 
popularity  was  so  great  that  he  had  been  twice 
elected  to  Congress  from  a  strong  Democratic  dis- 
trict. He  was  a  fine  campaigner.  The  Demo- 
cratic party  had  taken  the  alarm,  and  had  nomi- 
nated one  of  their  ablest  and  shrewdest  leaders,  and 
also  a  very  popular  orator,  William  J.  Stone,  of 
Nevada,  Missouri.  The  Populists  had  nominated 
Colonel  Leonard,  of  Marshall.  There  was  no  ques- 
tion at  all  how  the  State  would  go  on  the  Presi- 
dent: the  governor  was  the  question.  So  the 
Republicans  called  upon  all  who  had  formerly  .been 
Republicans  to  stand  with  them  for  governor, 
anyhow,  however  they  might  vote  for  President; 
and  the  Democrats  made  the  same  kind  of  an 
appeal  to  their  men.  So  Colonel  Leonard  and  I 
had  to  suffer  to  some  extent  from  these  appeals. 

But  I  had  good  meetings  everywhere,  and  the 
Democratic,  Republican,  and  Populist  papers 
treated  me  with  every  consideration  and  kindness. 
I  do  not  remember  of  seeing  during  the  entire 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  269 

campaign  the  slightest  attack  upon  me  in  any 
respect. 

There  was  a  little  incident  during  the  campaign 
that  afforded  me  considerable  amusement.  I  had 
spoken  Saturday  night  at  Dawson,  in  Nodaway 
County.  Monday  night  I  was  to  speak  at  Butler,  in 
Bates  County.  I  was  anxious  to  get  through  to 
Kansas  City  Sunday  night,  so  as  to  be  sure  to  get 
out  on  the  first  train  to  Butler.  But  my  land- 
lord got  muddled  in  his  railroad  knowledge,  and 
when  it  was  too  late,  I  found  that  the  train  going 
direct  to  Kansas  City  was  gone;  so  I  thought  I 
would  try  to  make  it  by  way  of  Lexington  junction. 
Arriving  at  the  junction,  I  found  the  first  train  I 
could  possibly  get  out  on  was  at  seven  o'clock  the 
next  morning.  I  asked  the  agent  if  he  would 
direct  me  to  the  best  hotel.  He  said  there  was 
only  one,  and  I  could  find  that  easy  enough. 

Thereupon  a  small,  rather  fine-looking  young 
man,  said  :  "  Come  with  me,  I'm  going  right  up  to 
the  hotel,  and  I'll  show  you  the  way." 

As  soon  as  we  got  out  of  doors,  he  said:  "  I 
want  to  get  to  Kansas  City  just  as  bad  as  you  do, 
and  I  presume  for  the  very  same  reason." 

I  asked  him  what  his  reason  was. 

"Why,"  he  said,  "  Richmond,  the  county-seat 
of  Ray  County,  is  a  local-option  town.  I  have 
been  keeping  a  "Blind  Tiger"  there,  and  not  more 
than  twenty  minutes  before  train  time,  the  sheriff 


270  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

came  to  me  and  told  me  that  the  grand  jury  had 
found  forty-five  indictments  against  me,  and  for  me 
to  skip.  And  I  am  skipping.  Is  that  what's  the 
matter  with  you?  Where  have  you  been  running 
yours?" 

I  told  him  I  was  not  in  the  business,  but  I  was 
anxious  to  get  to  Kansas  City  so  as  to  make  the 
train  for  Butler  in  the  morning. 

In  the  morning  he  and  I  rode  into  Kansas  City 
together,  and  I  asked  him  if  he  would  ever  dare  to 
go  back  to  Richmond  again. 

He  said:  "Oh,  yes!  As  soon  as  I  get  to 
Kansas  City  and  get  located,  I  shall  write  to  the 
prosecuting  attorney  and  let  him  know  where  I  am; 
and  as  soon  as  the  grand  jury  rises,  the  prosecut- 
ing attorney  will  let  me  know,  and  I  shall  return, 
plead  guilty  to  three  or  four  indictments,  the 
prosecuting  attorney  will  quash  the  others,  and  I 
shall  resume  business  at  the  old  stand.  Oh!  the 
sheriff  and  prosecuting  attorney  are  old  friends  of 
mine,  and  will  stand  by  me." 

Then  more  than  ever  I  saw  the  importance  of 
a  Prohibition  party,  and  the  election  of  men  who 
have  some  respect  and  regard  for  their  official 
oaths. 

As  the  result  of  that  election,  General  Bidwell 
had  received  for  President  two  hundred  and  eighty 
thousand  votes.  That  was  the  number  of  votes  that 
were  counted  and  returned  for  him,  but  it  is  a  well- 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  271 

known  fact  that  a  large  number  of  votes  that  are 
given  for  the  Prohibition  candidates  are  never 
counted  and  returned. 

I  remained  at  home  after  the  election  until  the 
first  of  January.  My  first  work  was  in  Missouri, 
lecturing  in  the  northern  part  of  that  State;  then 
in  the  southern  part,  and  then  back  into  Illinois. 
I  lectured  for  a  time  in  Ohio,  when  I  returned  west 
to  Chicago,  spending-  two  weeks  at  the  World's 
Fair.  While  there  I  met  with  Dr.  N.  W.  Tracy, 
and  spent  the  summer  speaking  with  him  in  his 
big  tent. 

Dr.  Tracy  was  born  and  reared  in  Kentucky. 
At  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  War,  he  and  his  family, 
though  living  in  a  Southern  State,  and  in  that  part 
of  the  State  of  Kentucky  which  was  solid  in  senti- 
ment for  the  Southern  cause,  took  sides  with  the 
Union.  They  suffered  considerably  for  their  senti- 
ments, and  the  doctor  himself  succeeded  with  con- 
siderable difficulty  in  making  his  escape  into  Ohio. 
He  served  in  the  Ohio  troops  during  the  war. 
Strange  as  it  may  seem,  when  we  consider  he  was 
a  Kentuckian,  he  liked  his  bourbon  whiskey.  But 
when  the  "Ribbon  Movement"  broke  out,  he  was 
converted,  joined  the  Methodist  Church,  and 
entered  the  temperance  field,  where  he  has  done  a 
mighty  work  for  the  temperance  cause. 

We  had  our  tent  meetings  in  Elgin,  Aurora, 
Spring  Valley,  Streator,  Kewanee,  and  Galesburg. 


272  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

Dr.  Tracy  used  to  go  into  a  town  as  a  circus 
would  go  into  it;  and  I  am  satisfied  that  he  had  the 
correct  idea  in  regard  to  advertising.  His  adver- 
tising matter  was  immense:  he  had  one  plate  that 
cost  him  six  hundred  dollars.  1  have  found  out 
that  the  great  trouble  with  our  people  in  regard  to 
our  meetings  is  their  lack  of  advertising  thoroughly. 
Notwithstanding  it  was  the  World's  Fair  year  and 
also  the  year  of  the  great  panic,  we  had  large 
meetings  everywhere,  and  our  meetings  were  a 
magnificent  success.  Dr.  Tracy  was  a  fiery,  vehe- 
ment speaker,  perfectly  fearless,  and  in  a  short 
time  he  would  set  a  town  boiling.  His  greatest 
forte  was  in  "roasting"  folks.  I  would  rather 
have  a  whole  section  of  the  day  of  judgment  after 
me  than  to  have  him  get  after  me.  He  was  a  per- 
fect annihilator. 

With  Dr.  Tracy  I  became  acquainted  with 
Professor  George  L.  Graham,  of  Elmira,  New 
York.  He  did  our  stereopticon  work.  He  was 
a  perfect  gentleman,  warm-hearted  and  true. 
Our  friendship  has  been  of  the  warmest  and  clos- 
est kind  ever  since  that  year  we  traveled  together. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  273 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

My  work  in  Illinois,  Iowa,  Missouri,  New  York,  Canada,  Rhode 
Island — Lithia  Springs — Rev.  Jasper  L.  Uouthit — His  history — My  work 
in  Illinois,  Missouri,  etc. 

That  fall  and  part  of  the  winter  I  labored  in 
Illinois,  Iowa,  and  Missouri,  Mr.  Folsom  being 
with  me,  using  the  stereopticon.  In  the  spring  of 
1894  I  took  a  trip  East,  going  as  far  as  East 
Greenwich,  Rhode  Island.  On  my  way  East  I 
spoke  at  Toronto,  Canada,  and  Potsdam,  New 
York.  Then  I  returned  West,  speaking  in  Chicago ; 
then  through  to  Missouri.  After  resting  a  few 
days  at  my  home,  I  took  a  trip  south  as  far  as 
Arkansas,  speaking  at  Bentonville,  Rogers,  and 
other  parts  of  Arkansas.  I  then  returned,  and 
went  west  to  Nebraska,  lecturing  in  Nebraska 
until  the  first  of  August,  when  I  returned  to 
Illinois  and  to  Lithia  Springs,  where  I  was  to 
remain  during  the  entire  camp. 

Lithia  Springs  is  a  beautiful  place,  six  miles 
east  of  Shelbyville;  one  of  the  most  romantic  spots 
in  all  the  State  of  Illinois.  It  is  a  valley  about 
one  fourth  of  a  mile  wide,  between  two  hills.  The 
hills  and  sides  are  covered  with  timber.  There 
are  several  springs  in  the  valley,  and  two  of  them 
are  only  a  rod  apart:  one  is  a  white-sulphur 


274  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

spring,  and  the  other  is  an  iron  spring.  The 
analyses  show  that  the  composition  of  the  waters 
of  the  springs  is  entirely  different.  Experts  who 
have  analyzed  the  water  declare  that  it  is  not 
excelled  by  the  water  at  Saratoga,  New  York,  or 
the  celebrated  Manitou  Springs  of  Colorado,  for  its 
excellent  medicinal  qualities.  In  all  the  West  it  is 
doubtful  if  there  is  a  more  attractive  spot  than 
Lithia  Springs.  These  springs  are  owned  at 
this  writing  by  Rev.  Jasper  L.  Douthit,  the  Uni- 
tarian minister,  who  resides  in  Shelbyville. 

Mr.  Douthit's  people  came  originally  from 
the  Carolinas.  His  great-grandfather  settled  in 
Shelby  County  at  an  early  day.  His  forefathers 
were  "Hard-shell"  Baptists.  Mr.  Douthit's  father 
held  many  places  of  honor  and  trust. in  Shelby 
County.  He  was  the  father  of  eleven  children,  nine 
of  whom  are  now  living. 

Jasper  was  the  eldest  of  the  family.  He  early 
evinced  a  desire  for  books  and  schooling,  both  of 
which  were  very  hard  to  obtain  in  southern 
Illinois  at  that  time;  but  by  his  indomitable  will 
and  perseverance  he  has  succeeded  in  obtaining 
both.  He  received  his  education  at  Wabash 
College,  Crawfordsville,  Indiana,  and  the  Shelby- 
ville Seminary, and  later  took  a  thorough  theo- 
logical course  at  Meadville,  Pennsylvania.  There 
are  few  ministers  in  Illinois  who  have  a  larger  or 
better  assorted  library.  He  was  born  and  reared 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  275 

a  Democrat,  his  first  vote  being  cast  for  James 
Buchanan;  but  for  some  reason  he  doesn't  seem  to 
be  proud  of  it.  His  next  vote  was  cast  for 
Abraham  Lincoln  in  1860. 

In  1857  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Emily  Lovell,  of  Massachusetts.  Miss  Lovell  was 
a  school-teacher  of  rare  ability.  She  is  very  quiet 
and  reserved,  and  one  has  to  be  well  acquainted 
with  her  before  one  can  appreciate  her  great  merits 
as  a  woman.  In  all  of  the  battles  which  Mr.  Douthit 
has  fought  against  slavery  and  intemperance,  she 
has  stood  bravely  at  his  side  ;  and  he  gives  her 
credit  for  the  best  work  of  his  life. 

During  the  Civil  War  Mr.  Douthit  was  a 
thorough  patriot,  supporting  the  national  govern- 
ment, often  at  the  peril  of  his  life.  As  soon  as  the 
rebellion  had  ceased,  he  began  his  struggle 
against  the  liquor  traffic,  which  he  has  kept  up 
relentlessly  until  this  day.  Mr.  Douthit  early 
became  identified  with  the  Unitarian  Christian 
movement,  and  was  ordained  to  that  ministry. 
He  has  been  instrumental  in  helping  to  establish 
a  half  dozen  independent  churches  in  southern 
Illinois.  He  also  has  been  engaged  in  journalism 
for  many  years,  and  is  at  the  present  time  the 
editor  and  proprietor  of  Our  Best  Words,  an  inde- 
pendent monthly  established  in  1880.  It  advo- 
cates all  righteous  reforms. 


276  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

About  ten  years  ago  he  began  the  Lithia 
Springs  Assembly.  It  was  started  first  as  a  means 
of  fighting  the  liquor  evil,  but  it  has  gradually 
widened  its  scope  until  it  has  become  a  regular 
Chautauqua  assembly.  By  the  wise  and  trust- 
worthy management  and  energy  of  himself  and  his 
son  George,  it  has  become  one  of  the  largest  and 
the  most  successful  assemblies  in  the  West.  The 
best  talent  of  the  nation  has  been  secured.  Such 
speakers  as  T.  De  Witt  Talmage,  Sam  Jones, 
Henry  Watterson,  Carlos  Martyn,  Ballington  Booth, 
George  W.  Bain,  John  G.  Woolley,  Hale  Johnson, 
Senator  William  E.  Mason,  William  J.  Bryan,  Dr. 
W.  W.  Fenn,  Dr.  Nash  (President  of  Lombard 
University),  Bishop  McCabe,  Booker  T.  Washing- 
ton, Bishop  Arnett,  ex-Congressman  George 
Adams,  and  such  women  as  Mary  T.  Lathrap  of 
Michigan,  Clara  C.  Hoffman,  Helen  Gougar,  Mrs. 
Daisy  Carlock  Pollitt,  Mrs.  Maud  B.  Booth,  Mrs. 
L.  M.  Lake,  Mrs.  Helen  M.  Barker,  and  others, 
have  served  at  this  assembly,  many  of  whom  have 
returned  for  several  years  in  succession.  Probably 
there  is  no  assembly  in  the  West  that  in  so  short  a 
period  has  had  so  much  eminent  talent. 

Mr.  Douthit  has  spent  his  whole  life  in  promo- 
ting every  worthy  work  and  every  good  cause;  and 
he  is  so  broad  in  spirit,  that  he  knows  no  party 
and  no  sect,  when  good  is  to  be  accomplished.  He 
is  perfectly  fearless,  has  great  faith,  and  has  no 


Jasper  L.  Douthit. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  277 

more  doubt  of  the  triumph  of  good  over  evil,  truth 
over  error,  pure  religion  over  superstition,  virtue 
over  vice,  than  he  doubts  the  existence  of  the 
Almighty  himself.  As  a  speaker,  he  is  inspira- 
tional: I  have  seen  him  capture  conventions  and 
conferences,  carrying  everything  before  him  by 
storm. 

He  has  four  children,  two  sons  and  two  daugh- 
ters. His  elder  son,  George,  is  with  him  in  his 
business,  managing  the  assembly  and  editing  the 
paper.  His  elder  daughter,  Mrs.  Helen  D.  Garis, 
lives  in  Rochelle,  Illinois.  She  is  in  full  sympathy 
with  the  life-work  of  her  parents,  and  has  ever  been 
their  cheerful  helper.  His  son  Robert  Collyer  is 
a  rising  young  Unitarian  minister,  and  pastor  of 
one  of  the  oldest  churches  in  New  England.  His 
younger  daughter  lives  with  him,  and  is  one  of 
the  most  popular  young  ladies  in  Shelbyville,  and 
possesses  remarkable  gifts  in  elocutionary  powers. 

For  five  years  I  have  been  platform  manager 
at  Lithia  Springs.  A  few  words  in  regard  to  two 
ladies  whom  I  have  met  at  Lithia  Springs. 

Mrs.  Clara  C.  Hoffman  for  twelve  years  has 
been  president  of  the  Woman's  Christian  Temper- 
ance Union  of  Missouri,  and  for  some  three  or 
four  years  recording  secretary  of  the  National 
Woman's  Christian  Temperance  Union.  She 
is  one  of  the  most  remarkable  women  that  has 
been  developed  by  that  organization.  For  some 


278  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

years  she  was  connected  with  the  city  schools  of 
Kansas  City.  When  she  became  connected  with 
the  Woman's  Christian  Temperance  Union  work, 
she  forged  rapidly  to  the  front,  and  soon  took  her 
place  among  the  foremost  women  of  her  day. 
From  a  purely  intellectual  standpoint,  I  doubt 
whether  she  has  her  equal  on  the  platform  to-day. 

It  was  in  1894  that  I  met  Mrs.  Daisy  Carlock, 
now  Mrs.  Pollitt,  for  the  first  time.  Mrs.  Daisy 
Carlock  Politt  was  the  daughter  of  Dr.  Hubbard, 
of  Hudson,  Illinois.  She  came  of  a  family 
noted  for  their  intellectual  gifts  and  personal 
beauty.  She  graduated  from  the  State  Normal 
School,  at  Normal,  Illinois,  when  she  was  but 
eighteen  years  old.  She  shortly  afterward  mar- 
ried a  merchant  of  that  town,  Mr.  Carlock.  After 
a  few  years  he  died,  and  she  began  her  great 
career  as  a  teacher.  She  was  soon  called  to 
Berea  College,  at  Berea,  Kentucky.  She  is  a  sister 
of  Elbert  Hubbard,  the  promoter  of  the  famous 
Roycroft  establishment  of  East  Aurora,  New  York. 

The  family  had  always  been  an  ardent  temper- 
ance one,  so  she  attached  herself  at  once  to  the 
Woman's  Christian  Temperance  Union,  and  with 
her  splendid  education  and  ability  soon  became 
very  prominent  in  that  organization.  She  was 
twice  elected  State  vice-president,  and  for  more 
than  a  year  she  was  secretary  of  the  Central  Union 
in  Chicago.  During  the  World's  Fair  her  posi- 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  279 

tion  brought  her  in  contact  with  reformers 
from  every  part  of  the  world.  A  better  person 
could  not  have  been  in  that  position,  as  she  could 
talk  with  each  one  in  his  own  language.  She  won 
great  praise  from  everybody.  As  a  speaker,  she 
is  winsome,  witty,  and  wise.  She  was  so  charm- 
ing in  her  personality  that  she  captivated  every- 
body with  whom  she  came  in  contact.  It  was  a 
great  misfortune  to  the  temperance  cause  when  she 
returned  to  educational  work.  Later  she  married 
Rev.  Mr.  Pollitt,  one  of  the  leading  Methodist 
divines  in  Kentucky. 

In  the  fall  of  1894  and  the  winter  of  1894-95 
I  lectured  in  Illinois  and  Missouri.  While  speak- 
ing in  Hannibal,  Missouri,  I  received  a  letter  from 
my  little  daughter  Mary,  telling  me  in  her  letter 
that  her  little  brother  John  was  sick.  My  daugh- 
ter was  attending  school  at  Council  Bluffs,  stop- 
ping with  her  uncle,  Rev.  J.  G.  Lemen.  I  would 
not  have  been  much  troubled  by  what  she  wrote, 
astshe  did  not  speak  of  him  being  very  sick,  had  it 
not  been  for  a  dream  which  I  had  the  night  before. 

I  am  not  at  all  superstitious,  and  yet  there  was 
something  about  the  dream  that  so  impressed  me 
that  I  could  not  shake  it  off.  I  thought  I  was 
aboard  of  a  train  of  cars,  when  a  gentleman  with 
whom  I  was  well  acquainted,  came  up,  and  clap- 
ping me  on  the  shoulder  with  his  hand,  said: 
"Where  are  you  going?" 


280  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

I  dreamed  that  I  burst  into  tears  and  said :  "  I 
am  going  to  the  bedside  of  my  dying  boy." 

That  morning  I  had  been  out  making  some 
calls,  and  was  returning  to  the  hotel,  when  I  met  a 
young  man,  a  friend  of  mine,  who  said  that  Mr. 
Brown  had  a  telegram  for  me,  and  that  it  was  very 
important  for  me  to  come  to  his  office  at  once. 
Upon  arriving  at  his  office,  Mr.  Brown,  a  very 
kind  and  sympathetic  man,  put  his  hand  on  my 
shoulder  and  said:  "My  brother,  have  courage 
now  and  be  strong." 

Upon  opening  the  telegram,  I  found  it  was  a 
telegram  from  my  brother-in-law,  telling  me  to 
come  at  once,  for  John  was  dying.  Within  twenty 
minutes  I  was  on  the  train,  and  a  little  way  out  of 
Hannibal  the  identical  incident  of  my  dream 
occurred.  I  was  compelled  to  wait  at  St.  Joseph, 
Missouri,  eight  hours.  I  arrived  at  Council  Bluffs 
at  six  o'clock  in  the  morning,  to  learn  that  my  boy 
had  died  at  midnight  the  night  before.  The  next 
Sunday  afternoon  we  buried  him  in  the  beautiful 
cemetery  of  Council  Bluffs,  but  in  the  beautiful 
Beyond  we  shall  meet  him  again. 

I  returned  to  my  home  at  Neosho  for  a  few 
weeks,  taking  up  my  lecture  work  again  in  Missouri, 
where  I  lectured  until  the  meeting  of  the  Lithia 
Springs  Assembly  that  summer;  though  that 
year,  I  come  to  think  of  it,  I  was  at  the  Havana 
(  Illinois)  Assembly  first,  where  I  remained  during 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  281 

the  entire  assembly,  delivering  four  lectures  and 
assisting  Mr.  Wilkin  in  the  management  of 
the  meeting.  I  presided  at  the  debate  between 
Hon.  William  J.  Bryan  and  Hon.  William  E. 
Mason.  I  gave  a  brief  sketch  of  Mr.  Bryan's  life, 
and  said  I  did  not  believe  the  Democratic  party 
could  do  any  better  than  to  nominate  Mr.  Bryan 
for  the  presidency  the  next  year.  The  Democracy 
seemed  to  take  me  at  my  word,  and  nominated 
him,  though  at  that  time  his  name  hadn't  'been 
suggested. 

That  year  I  lectured  through  Illinois,  Missouri, 
and  Michigan,  up  to  the  beginning  of  the  campaign 
of  1896. 


282  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

Pittsburg  convention — A  division  in  the  party — Lithia  Springs — My 
work  during  the  campaign— Result  of  the  election — A  few  weeks'  rest — 
Speaking  again  in  Illinois  and  Missouri — The  Toronto  session  of  the 
Supreme  Lodge. 

The  National  Prohibition  Convention  in  1896 
was  held  in  the  city  of  Pittsburg,  Pennsylvania. 
For  some  years  there  had  been  more  or  less  divi- 
sion in  the  party  touching  the  silver  question. 

There  was  an  element  led  by  Governor  St.  John, 
and  supported  by  Mr.  Wheeler  of  New  York  (the 
editor  of  the  New  York  Voice),  J.  Lloyd  Thomas  of 
New  York,  Van  Bennett  of  Kansas,  and  others, 
who  wished  to  put  the  party  upon  the  platform  of 
the  free  coinage  of  silver,  sixteen  to  one.  There 
was  another  element  of  the  party,  of  which  the 
leader  was  Samuel  Dickie,  the  chairman  of  our 
national  committee,  which  was  very  much  opposed 
to  the  party  taking  that  position,  believing  that  it 
was  wisest  by  far  to  keep  the  party  right  along  the 
line  it  had  started  out  on — the  destruction  of 
the  liquor  traffic.  In  the  latter  part  of  the  contro- 
versy there  developed  another  sentiment  in  the 
party,  which  was  in  favor  of  putting  the  party  upon 
one  idea — prohibition.  This  was  led  by  John  G. 
Woolley,  one  of  the  ablest  and  most  popular 
leaders  our  party  ever  had. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  283 

John  G.  Woolley  was  born  in  Collinsville, 
Butler  County,  Ohio,  the  same  county  in  which 
that  other  well-known  prohibition  orator,  Lou  J. 
Beauchamp,  was  born.  He  was  educated  at  the 
Delaware  University,  in  Ohio,  began  his  career  as 
attorney  at  law,  and  rapidly  took  a  front  rank  in 
that  profession.  But  he  became  addicted  to  the 
use  of  strong  drink,  which  threatened  to  ruin  his 
splendid  career  at  one  time.  But  after  many 
vicissitudes,  he  turned  over  a  new  leaf  and  espoused 
the  cause  of  temperance  and  prohibition,  and  he 
is  regarded  everywhere  as  the  exponent  of  the 
uncompromising  element  in  the  temperance  reform. 
The  great  ability  of  the  man,  his  scholarly  attain- 
ments and  oratorical  gifts,  would  make  any  cause 
which  he  espoused  prominent  and  respected. 

A  contest  began  in  the  convention,  by  Mr.  Dickie, 
national  chairman,  attempting  to  force  on  the  con- 
vention an  obnoxious  man  for  temporary  chairman; 
that  is,  a  man  who  was  obnoxious  to  the  free-silver 
element  in  the  party.  This  action  aroused  the 
spirit  that  finally  split  the  convention.  When  the 
committee  on  platform  reported,  there  was  a  major- 
ity and  a  minority  report.  Several  planks  of  the 
platform  had  been  adopted,  including  woman  suf- 
frage. When  the  free-silver  plank  was  reached,  it 
was  defeated  by  forty  majority.  During  the  con- 
fusion and  excitement  of  the  moment,  a  motion  was 
made  by  Mr.  Patton  of  Illinois  to  strike  out  all  of 


284  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

the  platform  except  prohibition.  Now,  a  large  por- 
tion of  those  who  had  favored  free  silver  joined 
with  those  who  had  always  been  in  favor  of  that 
single  idea  in  the  platform,  and  the  motion  of  Mr. 
Patton  was  adopted.  The  convention  then  pro- 
ceeded, and  nominated  Joshua  Levering  of  Maryland 
for  President,  and  Hale  Johnson  of  Illinois  for 
Vice-President. 

Mr.  Levering,  the  presidential  nominee,  lives 
in  Baltimore,  Maryland,  and  is  a  prominent  importer 
and  merchant  of  that  city.  He  is  also  a  leading 
layman  in  the  Baptist  Church,  active  in  all  philan- 
thropic movements,  and  is  considered  the  head  of 
the  Prohibition  party  in  that  State. 

Hale  Johnson,  of  Illinois,  the  candidate  for  Vice- 
President,  was,  at  the  time  he  was  nominated,  the 
Prohibition  nominee  for  governor  of  Illinois.  He 
was  a  brave  soldier  in  the  Civil  War  on  the  Union 
side,  is  an  able  lawyer,  and  a  man  of  high  character. 

The  broad-gauge  element  withdrew  from  the 
convention  at  night,  organized  a  convention, 
adopted  a  platform,  nominated  Rev.  Mr.  Bentley 
of  Nebraska  for  President,  and  Mr.  Southgate  of 
North  Carolina  for  Vice-President,  and  took  the 
name  of  the  National  party.  This  party  at  the 
outset  gave  promise  of  making  a  lively  campaign. 
Such  leaders  as  John  P.  St.  John,  J.  Lloyd  Thomas, 
and  Mrs.  Helen  Gougar — who  is  one  of  the  best- 
known  and  one  of  the  ablest  woman  speakers  I 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  285 

ever  heard — would  make  everything  lively  that 
they  undertook.  But  when  the  Democratic  party 
adopted  free  silver  as  their  slogan,  this  party 
rapidly  disintegrated.  Mr.  Bentley,  their  candi- 
date, received  less  than  fourteen  thousand  votes 
for  the  presidency,  most  of  this  party  going  over  to 
support  Mr.  Byran. 

I  did  not  take  an  active  part  during  that 
campaign,  as  usual,  although  I  spoke  for  and  voted 
for  Mr.  Levering.  Mr.  Levering  received  about 
one  hundred  and  forty  thousand  votes  in  the  country. 

During  August  of  this  year  (1896)  I  was  plat- 
form manager  at  Lithia  Springs  Assembly,  where  I 
presided  at  the  debate  there  between  ex-Governor 
St.  John  and  Hon.  William  E.  Mason,  on  the  finan- 
cial question.  It  was  an  intensely  interesting,  and 
a  good-humored  discussion.  The  disputants  were 
quite  courteous  to  each  other.  Both  are  men  of 
very  popular  qualities.  I  have  spoken  of  ex- 
Governor  St.  John  in  another  place.  I  will  now 
speak  of  Mr.  Mason. 

I  found  Mr.  Mason  a  genial,  warm-hearted, 
sympathetic  man.  I  must  confess  that  his  career 
in  the  United  States  Senate  has  been  to  me  a 
pleasant  surprise.  I  took  it  for  granted  that  he  was 
an  intense  partisan,  and  would  cheerfully  obey  the 
dictum  of  his  party  chief;  and  doubtless,  if  he  had 
been  consulting  his  own  personal  interest,  he  would 
have  done  so:  but  in  the  Senate  he  has  shown  a 


286  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

laudable  independence.  He  has  not  only  antago- 
nized the  administration,  but  the  entire  leadership 
of  his  party,  in  standing  by  his  convictions  for  what 
he  thinks  is  for  the  best  interest  of  country  and 
humanity.  He  has  recently  declared  in  a  letter  to 
a  friend,  that  he  would  rather  be  one  of  the  people 
to  help  elect  senators,  than  to  be  in  the  Senate  and 
stultify  his  conscience.  The  principles  that  seem 
to  govern  Senator  Mason  are  lofty  patriotism  and 
an  enlightened  humanitarianism. 

After  the  presidential  election  was  over,  I 
returned  to  my  home  in  Missouri, where  I  remained 
till  after  the  holidays.  Then  I  returned  to  Illinois, 
and  took  up  my  work  again,  traveling  with  Mr. 
Folsom  until  the  latter  part  of  May.  That  summer 
I  was  again  at  Lithia  Springs,  and  early  in  Septem- 
ber began  my  work  in  Illinois  under  the  Prohibi- 
tion party,  working  with  them  until  in  the  winter, . 
when,  owing  to  sickness,  Mr.  Wilson,  State 
secretary,  could  no  longer  direct  my  work;  so  I 
resumed  work  for  the  Good  Templars.  I  remained 
most  of  that  winter  in  Chicago,  and  worked  under 
the  auspices  of  the  Good  Templars  until  the  first 
of  June. 

I  had  been  having  considerable  trouble  with  my 
stomach  for  the  last  ten  years  of  my  life — indeed,  I 
can  say  for  twenty  years — caused  by  the  shot 
through  my  body  at  Gettysburg;  but  in  the  last 
ten  years  some  of  my  attacks  had  been  very 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  287 

severe.  I  had  sought  many  remedies,  but  all 
seemed  to  fail  ;  and  the  first  of  June,  1898,  my 
condition  had  become  quite  alarming.  I  was  only 
able  to  take  a  little  warm  water  and  bread,  the 
bread  being  thoroughly  toasted;  and  my  agony  at 
times  was  exceeding  great,  even  with  that  diet. 

So,  by  the  advice  of  some  friends,  I  abandoned 
all  work,  resolved  that  I  would  have  a  thorough 
examination  of  myself  by  a  competent  physician, 
and  see  what  I  had  better  do.  I  remained  in 
Chicago  three  days,  spending  the  time  with  a 
doctor — one  of  the  best  in  the  city.  He  told  me 
that  my  stomach  had  become  thoroughly  ulcerated, 
and  no  power  on  earth  could  be  of  any  help  to  me; 
that  I  might  possibly  live  a  couple  of  months,  but 
not  any  longer. 

The  doctor  was  a  very  conscientious,  Christian 
man,  and  he  told  me  that  afternoon  that  he  had 
known  me  for  twenty-five  years  and  knew  my  good 
work,  and  while  it  would  be  sad  to  my  family,  yet 
the  Lord  had  dealt  graciously  with  me,  and  I 
should  rejoice  to  think  that  I  was  so  soon  to  be  an 
inhabitant  of  the  Golden  City.  While  I  knew  that 
the  Golden  City  was  all  right,  and  did  not  at  all 
doubt  its  existence,  or  that  I  would  be  welcomed 
there,  yet,  for  some  reason  or  other,  I  didn't  care 
about  taking  the  first  train.  While  I  did  not 
become  at  all  alarmed  or  frightened,  still  I  was 
determined  not  to  take  the  trip  if  I  could  possibly 


288  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

help  it ;  but  I  felt  sure  that,  if  I  continued  at  work, 
I  probably  would. 

So,  upon  an  invitation  from  a  friend  of  mine  in 
Missouri,  I  started  for  his  abode.  I  met  with  a 
royal  welcome  at  the  home  of  my  old  friend,  W.  H. 
Gilhousen.  I  became  acquainted  with  the  family 
of  Mr.  Gilhousen  when  I  was  a  candidate  for  gov- 
ernor in  1892.  It  is  an  ideal  Christian  home. 
Mr.  Gilhousen,  a  landscape  and  portrait  painter  of 
great  skill,  was  a  veteran  in  the  Civil  War.  He 
has  a  family  of  eight  children,  six  sons  and  two 
daughters,  all  handsome,  smart,  and  good.  They 
are  all  members  of  the  Methodist  Church.  A 
father  and  mother  who  can  bring  up  such  a  family 
as  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gilhousen  have  brought  up,  ought 
to  be  pensioned  by  the  government.  If  our  whole 
nation  was  made  up  of  such  people  as  the 
Gilhousen  family,  the  millennium  would  be  upon  us. 

I  was  at  this  house  for  a  month.  Meanwhile 
we  went  out  on  the  Des  Moines  on  a  fishing  trip, 
and  had  a  pleasant  time.  We  carried  our  big  tent 
with  us,  and  spent  our  time  gunning  and  fishing — 
that  is,  my  friends  did.  I  never  kill  things,  neither 
fish  nor  birds.  I  simply  do  the  eating,  and  let 
some  one  else  enjoy  the  killing. 

From  there  I  went  to  Nevada,  Missouri,  to  be 
treated  by  Professor  Weltmer.  A  day  or  two 
after  my  arrival  at  Nevada,  I  met  some  ministers 
in  that  city  who  were  old  acquaintances  of  mine, 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  289 

who  informed  me  that  Professor  Weltmer  was  a 
humbug,  and  that  he  had  never  in  the  least  helped 
anyone  who  had  come  there  for  treatment.  I 
remained  there  for  two  weeks.  I  was  wonderfully 
benefited,  and  went  away  feeling-  better  than  I  had 
for  many  years.  Sometimes  I  have  a  recurrence 
of  the  old  trouble;  but,  as  I  understand,  almost 
everybody  similarly  afflicted  has  those  attacks. 

From  Nevada  I  went  to  Piasa  Bluffs,  near  St. 
Louis.  I  arrived  at  Lithia  Springs  the  latter  part 
of  the  assembly,  where  I  was  enthusiastically 
received  by  my  old  friends  at  the  camp. 

Mr.  Oliver  W.  Stewart  had  charge  of  the  plat- 
form in  my  place,  which  he  conducted  with  great 
success,  as  he  always  does  anything  he  under- 
takes. Mr.  Stewart  is  a  young  man.  At  the 
time  of  writing  this  book  (1899)  he  is  about 
thirty-two  years  of  age.  He  was  born  and  reared 
in  Illinois,  and,  like  most  of  those  who  eventually 
come  to  greatness,  he  was  born  in  very  humble 
circumstances ;  but  he  pushed  his  way  up  through 
every  obstacle.  Graduating  from  Eureka  College, 
he  entered  upon  the  ministry  in  the  Christian, 
or  Disciple  Church.  As  a  presiding  officer  at 
the  Pittsburg  convention,  he  won  praises  from 
everyone.  As  a  speaker,  he  is  pleasant  and 
forcible,  winning  friends  for  himself  and  the  cause 
everywhere. 


290  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

After  the  assembly  at  Lithia  Springs  was  over, 
I  lectured  in  Illinois  until  near  the  holidays.  A 
few  days  before  I  went  to  Missouri,  I  was  the 
guest  of  that  royal  preacher,  whole-souled  gentle- 
man, and  old-time  friend,  Rev.  J.  G.  Evans,  D.  D. 
I  consider  Dr.  J.  G.  Evans  one  of  the  ablest 
divines  in  the  whole  country,  and  a  natural-born 
reformer.  He,  like  my  friend  Rev.  Douthit,  in 
all  of  the  forty  years  of  his  ministry,  whether  as  a 
circuit  minister  or  a  stationed  minister,  presiding 
elder,  president  of  a  college,  delegate  in  a  general 
conference  of  his  Church,  has  always  stood  for  the 
right  and  opposed  the  wrong ;  to  be  in  the 
minority  has  no  terror  for  him.  If  all  the 
ministers  and  bishops  of  that  mighty  Methodist 
Church  would  only  stand  where  Dr.  Evans  does, 
we  would  drive  the  devil  out  of  this  country  in  the 
next  five  years. 

I,  with  my  family,  spent  Christmas  with  Mr. 
Gilhousen.  After  the  holidays  I  began  work 
under  the  auspices  of  the  Woman's  Christian 
Temperance  Union,  and  continued  working  under 
their  auspices  until  the  latter  part  of  June,  with  the 
exception  of  two  weeks  that  I  spent  in  St.  Louis 
working  under  the  auspices  of  the  *iew  organiza- 
tion called  the  Prohibition  Union  of  Christian 
Men.  This  is  a  new  movement  inaugurated 
recently  in  Rochester,  New  York.  Mr.  C.  N. 
Howard,  the  founder,  is  a  business  man  in  Roches- 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  291 

ter,  New  York,  a  man  of  great  power  upon  the 
platform;  and  the  movement  under  his  direction 
has  met  with  great  success  wherever  it  has  been 
organized,  and  I  am  watching  it  with  a  great  deal 
of  interest  as  to  the  outcome.  Mr.  Howard  is  a 
man  who  seems  to  be  wise  and  discreet  in  all  of 
his  movements,  and  my  faith  in  him  is  boundless. 

The  latter  part  of  June  I  went  to  Toronto, 
Canada,  to  the  meeting  of  the  Right  Worthy 
Grand  Lodge  of  Good  Templars,  or,  as  it  is  now 
styled,  the  International  Supreme  Lodge.  At  the 
meeting  of  the  Illinois  Grand  Lodge  of  Good 
Templars  in  October,  1898,  I  was  elected  unani- 
mously to  go  to  Toronto.  Uriah  Copp  of  Loda, 
and  Bateman  Ganly  of  Chicago,  were  chosen  as 
my  colleagues.  When  the  time  of  the  session 
arrived,  brother  Ganly  being  unable  to  attend,  sister 
R.  J.  Hazlett,  one  of  the  alternates,  took  his  place. 
A  question  of  importance  affecting  the  Grand 
Lodge  of  Illinois  was  coming  up. 

There  are  some  twelve  or  fifteen  lodges  of 
Scandinavians,  mostly  in  the  city  of  Chicago,  who 
have  been  seeking  for  years  to  obtain  a  charter 
for  a  separate  Grand  Lodge.  The  Supreme 
Lodge  has  by  a  large  majority  at  each  session 
been  favorable  to  that  project;  but  by  the  charter 
of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Illinois,  no  charter  can  be 
granted  without  the  consent  of  the  Grand  Lodge 
of  Illinois.  The  membership  of  the  order  is  now 


292-  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

principally  outside  of  the  American  continent,  and 
they  are  not  inclined  to  respect  the  charter  rights 
of  the  Grand  Lodge  "of  Illinois ;  taking  the  high 
ground  that  the  Supreme  Lodge  is  supreme  to 
everything  else,  and  that  they  are  not  under  obli- 
gation to  respect  any  constitution  whatsoever. 
Three  times  by  a  large  majority  they  have  voted 
to  grant  the  charter,  but  it  requires  a  two-third 
vote,  which  they  have  never  been  able  to  secure. 

Mr.  Malins,  the  Supreme  Templar,  has  been 
the  Scandinavian  champion  in  this  matter;  and,  as 
the  consent  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Illinois  to  the 
formation  of  this  separate  Grand  Lodge  had  been 
refused  some  three  or  four  times,  brother  Malins 
had  conceived  a  great  dislike  for,  or  prejudice 
against,  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Illinois,  and  especially 
the  Grand  Chief  Templar,  whom  he  believed  to  be 
the  principal  obstacle  in  the  way  of  the  movement. 
Brother  Malins  was  a  man  of  great  ability  and 
power  in  debate,  and  his  influence  over  the  foreign 
delegation  seemed  almost  beyond  limit.  So  we 
knew  that  the  battle  at  Toronto  would  be  a  royal 
one,  and  I  regarded  the  battle  at  the  beginning  to 
be  a  hopeless  one  for  our  side. 

I  found  the  Supreme  Lodge  at  Toronto  quite  a 
different  body  from  that  with  which  I  had  met  the 
last  time.  I  had  not  met  with  the  body  since  the 
Richmond  session,  in  1886.  At  Toronto  I  found 
the  leaders  of  the  body  to  be  Supreme  Templar 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  293 

Malins,  Uriah  Copp  of  Illinois,  Dr.  Oronhyatekha 
of  Canada,  W.  Martin  Jones  of  New  York, 
Theodore  D.  Kanouse  of  California,  E.  W.  Chafin 
of  Wisconsin,  Hon.  Samuel  D.  Hastings  of  Wis- 
consin, W.  H.  Clark  of  Wisconsin,  J.  Bennett 
Anderson  of  England,  brother  John  Smith  of  South 
Africa,  brother  Wheeler  of  Maine,  sister  Richards 
of  Ohio,  sister  Anna  Saunders  of  Nebraska,  and 
others. 

Dr.  Oronhyatekha,  of  Canada,  has  been  Su- 
preme Templar,  and  is  one  of  the  greatest  men 
our  order  ever  produced.  He  is  a  full-blooded 
Indian,  and  a  graduate  of  Oxford  University  in 
England.  He  is  a  perfect  prince  in  appearance, 
six  feet,  three  inches  high,  and  weighs  two  hundred 
and  fifty  pounds.  He  is  a  light  copper  color,  with 
those  great  big,  jet-black  eyes,  so  pleasant  and 
winsome  in  appearance  when  in  private  conversa- 
tion with  friends;  but  when  in  a  hot  debate  they 
send  out  constant  flashes  of  chain  lightning.  I 
never  knew  his  equal  as  a  debater  in  any  body 
that  he  might  be  in.  Whether  a  member  of  the 
British  Parliament  or  a  member  of  the  United 
States  Senate,  he  would  be  a  recognized  leader. 

E.  W.  Chafin,  of  Wisconsin,  Past  Grand 
Chief  Templar  of  that  State,  and  late  Prohibition 
candidate  for  governor,  is  one  of  the  ablest  men  of 
the  order.  He  is  the  very  personification  of 
strength  and  manliness;  forty-five  years  old,  six 


294  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

feet  high,  weighing  two  hundred  pounds.  He  is 
an  able  and  experienced  debater,  one  of  the  best 
attorneys  in  Wisconsin,  forceful  in  character, 
genial  in  manners,  and  loved  by  everybody. 

W.  Martin  Jones,  of  New  York,  Past  GrandChief 
Templar,  is  a  man  of  wide  experience  and  great 
culture.  He  has  represented  our  government 
abroad,  and  has  been  the  candidate  of  his  party  for 
governor  of  the  Empire  State.  He  is  also  one  ot 
the  leading  magazine  writers  of  this  country.  As 
an  antagonist  he  is  to  be  feared  and  respected. 

Brother  W.  H.  Clark,  Grand  Chief  Templar  of 
Wisconsin,  is  one  of  the  rising  young  men  of  the 
order.  He  came  to  Wisconsin  about  ten  years 
ago  to  work  for  the  Good  Templars.  Within  two 
years  he  was  put  at  the  head  of  the  order.  In  a 
state  like  Wisconsin,  where  they  have  so  much 
good  material  for  leadership,  it  was  a  great  compli- 
ment; but  he  has  been  elected  each  year  without 
any  opposition  at  all.  He  is  a  man  of  right  judg- 
ment, and  Christian  in  spirit  and  character.  He 
has  a  great  future  before  him. 

Brother  Smith,  of  South  Africa,  had  come 
twelve  thousand  miles  to  attend  the  meeting.  It 
was  his  first  time  in  the  Supreme  Lodge.  He  at 
once  came  to  the  front  and  won  the  esteem  of  all. 

Brother  Wheeler,  of  Maine,  is  pastor  of  an 
independent  church  in  that  State,  and  is  one  of  the 
brightest  men  I  ever  met. 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  295 

Sister  Anna  Saunders,  of  Nebraska,  as  Grand 
Chief  Templar  of  Nebraska,  won  a  high  reputation. 
She  brought  the  order  in  that  State  to  a  high  state 
of  efficiency,  and  the  Supreme  Lodge  showed  its 
appreciation  by  electing  her  to  the  highest  office 
to  which  any  women  was  ever  elevated  in  our 
order. 

Sister  Richards,  of  Ohio,  in  the  last  ten  years 
has  become  one  of  the  best-known  and  ablest 
speakers  of  our  order.  Entertaining  and  instruc- 
tive as  a  speaker,  strong  in  mind  and  body,  and 
still  in  her  prime,  she  has  a  great  future  before  her. 


296  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

The  debate  and  decision  on  the  Scandinavian  question — Lithia 
Springs — Grand  Lodge  of  Good  Templars  of  Illinois,  etc. — Conclusion 
— The  wolf  in  sheep's  clothing  unmasked— A  great  crime. 

On  the  third  day  of  the  session  the  debate  on 
the  Scandinavian  question  was  opened  by  the 
Grand  Chief  Templar  of  Scotland  advocating  the 
granting  of  the  charter.  Chafin  of  Wisconsin 
replied  in  a  masterly  speech,  showing  it  would  be 
a  violation  of  the  charter  rights  of  Illinois,  and  if 
the  courts  were  invoked,  the  Right  Worthy  Grand 
Lodge  would  be  beaten.  Then  the  debate  went 
over  until  Saturday  night.  After  the  election  of 
officers,  Supreme  Templar  Malins  left  the  chair, 
and  in  a  speech  of  an  hour  advocated  the  granting 
of  the  charter.  His  speech  was  so  plausible — for 
Mr.  Malins  is  a  master  of  sophistry — and  made 
so  profound  an  impression  upon  the  body,  that  I 
believe,  had  the  vote  been  taken  at  that  time, 
Mr.  Malins  would  easily  have  won  the  victory.  It 
was  getting  late  now — half  past  ten — and  many 
had  retired  from  the  hall.  Grand  Chief  Templar 
Copp  took  the  floor  and  began  a  crushing  reply  to 
Mr.  Malins,  riddling  his  sophistry  through  and 
through.  His  speech  was  making  such  a  profound 
impression  that  he  was  appealed  to  to  give  way 
for  an  adjournment,  so  that  he  could  speak  to  a 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  297 

full  house  Monday  morning.  He  did  so  on  the 
condition  that,  as  I  was  compelled  to  leave  on 
Sunday  night,  I  should  be  permitted  to  speak 
then.  This  they  agreed  to  unanimously.  It  was 
now  eleven  o'clock. 

When  I  took  the  floor  I  thanked  the  members 
for  their  courtesy  in  allowing  me  to  speak  at  that 
time  of  the  night.  I  briefly  recounted  my  past 
services  for  the  order,  and  the  fact  that  for  thirty 
years  I  had  been  a  member  of  the  body  was  my 
apology  for  speaking  at  that  late  hour.  I  told 
them  I  was  there  to  speak  for  the  Grand  Lodge  of 
Illinois;  that  I  was  opposed  to  granting  a  charter; 
first,  because  they  had  no  right  to  grant  it  without 
the  consent  of  the  Illinois  Grand  Lodge  and  that 
the  act  would  be  illegal,  and  everyone  of  us  who 
voted  for  the  granting  of  the  charter  would  be  vio- 
lating our  obligation  as  Good  Templars;  next,  that 
it  was  unnecessary  and  inexpedient;  that  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  Illinois  was  amply  able  to  do  the 
business  for  all  concerned;  that  the  Scandinavian 
members  had  their  own  subordinate  lodge  and 
district  lodge,  and  their  ritual  and  constitutions 
printed  in  their  own  language;  and,  furthermore,  I 
was  unalterably  opposed  to  it  on  principle;  that  it 
was  the  greatest  mistake  in  the  world  for  foreign 
people  coming  to  the  United  States,  to  organize  to 
perpetuate  their  languages  and  customs;  that  I 
thanked  God  I  was  an  American,  and  that  I  always 


298  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieskt. 

had  opposed  and  always  would  oppose  any  and 
every  effort  to  perpetuate  foreignism — if  that  word 
is  allowable— in  the  land  of  my  adoption.  Born 
in  Poland,  as  I  was,  I  would  not  advocate  the 
organization  of  a  Polish  Lodge  of  Good  Templars; 
and  if  one  was  organized,  I  would  never  be  a  mem- 
ber of  it.  I  closed  by  appealing  to  the  mem- 
bers to  stand  up  for  a  Grand  Lodge  that  for  more 
than  forty  years  had  maintained  its  integrity,  dis- 
charged every  obligation  to  the  body,  and,  through 
sunshine  and  storm,  whose  loyalty  had  never  been 
impeached. 

When  I  sat  down  the  body  immediately 
adjourned.  I  was  immediately  surrounded  by 
both  parties,  who  showered  upon  me  their  warmest 
congratulations. 

I  left  Toronto  on  Sunday  night,  but  on  the 
assembling  of  the  body  on  Monday  morning, 
Mr.  Copp  took  the  floor  and  spoke  for  more  than 
an  hour  with  all  the  eloquence  and  power  of  which 
that  gifted  gentleman  is  capable.  He  was  followed 
by  Mrs.  Genie  Hazlett,  who  made  a  telling  speech 
in  support  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Illinois.  The 
debate  lasted  until  noon,  when  the  vote  was  taken; 
and  the  motion  to  grant  the  charter  was  lost,  and 
that  ended  the  battle. 

I  returned  to  Illinois  to  deliver  the  Fourth-of- 
July  oration  at  Lithia  Springs.  Going  up  into 
McDonough  County,  where  I  spoke  a  week,  I  then 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  299 

proceeded  to  Waupaca,  Wisconsin,  to  attend  the 
Good  Templar  Assembly.  I  found  the  assembly 
located  on  beautiful  grounds,  which  are  owned 
by  a  Good  Templar  stock  company.  It  is 
located  on  what  is  called  the  Chain  O'Lakes.  It 
takes  the  name  from  the  fact  that  thirteen  lakes 
are  united  so  that  a  boat  can  pass  into  all  thirteen 
of  them.  It  is  six  miles  out  from  Waupaca. 

At  this  assembly  I  had  the  pleasure  of  meeting 
many  old  friends  and  making  many  new  ones: 
W.  H.  Clark  and  wife  and  daughter,  E.  W.  Chafin, 
Mr.  Bonesteel  of  Fairwater  and  his  charming  wife, 
Miss  Tweedin  of  Milwaukee,  Colonel  B.  F.  Parker, 
and  others. 

I  met  at  this  assembly  my  old  friend  Rev.  L.  B. 
Walker  of  Milwaukee.  Brother  Walker,  after 
being  a  minister  for  many  years  on  the  Pacific 
Coast,  and  filling  some  of  the  most  prominent  pulpits 
of  California,  is  now  located  in  Milwaukee,  and 
has  been  for  the  last  eight  or  ten  years  devoting 
his  entire  time  to  the  temperance  cause.  His 
coming  to  our  ranks  was  a  great  help.  He  is  a 
man  of  rare  gifts  in  many  respects,  and  he  will 
popularize  any  cause  that  he  espouses. 

His  wife,  Mrs.  Altie  Reed  Walker,  is  one  of  the 
best-known  Good  Templar  workers  in  the  West. 
She  is  a  niece  of  the  celebrated  Rev.  Myron  Reed, 
of  Denver,  Colorado.  I  had  the  pleasure  of  making 
her  acquaintance  in  the  fall  of  1883.  She  had  just 


300  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

been  elected  superintendent  of  the  Juvenile 
Templars  of  that  State.  She  held  this  position,  I 
think,  for  some  six  or  seven  years,  and  was 
probably  one  of  the  most  popular  Grand  Lodge 
officers  that  Wisconsin  ever  had,  and  that  is  say- 
ing much;  but  she  is  loved  by  everyone  that 
comes  in  contact  with  her,  on  account  of  the 
genuineness  of  her  nature  and  her  desire  to  help 
mankind.  She  has  been  a  great  patron  of  the 
Christian  Home  at  Council  Bluffs,  and  her  name  is 
very  much  revered  by  all  who  are  connected  with 
that  institution. 

The  camp  is  named  for  Qaptain  Cleghorn, 
former  Grand  Chief  Templar  of  that  State.  Cap- 
tain Cleghorn  was  born  in  Canada,  and  came  to 
Wisconsin  I  think  when  he  was  quite  young.  He 
enthusiastically  accepted  American  institutions, 
and  .became  a  true  American.  At  the  outbreak  of 
the  Civil  War  he  entered  the  service,  and  at  the 
siege  of  Vicksburg  received  a  wound  that  disabled 
him  for  life.  On  account  of  his  gallantry  in  that 
battle  he  was  made  a  captain  in  the  regular  army 
and  placed  on  the  retired  list. 

He  entered  into  the  temperance  work  as  a 
speaker  and  lecturer  about  twenty  years  ago,  and 
became  very  popular.  When  Brother  Kanouse 
retired  from  'the  Grand  Chief  Templarship  of 
Wisconsin,  the  Grand  Lodge  of  that  State  had  a 
great  task  before  them.  Brother  Kanouse  had 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  301 

been  so  long  at  the  head  of  the  order,  and  so  pop- 
ular, that  it  was  hard  for  anyone  to  take  his  place. 
The  Grand  Lodge  of  Wisconsin  did  a  wise  act  in 
selecting  brother  Cleghorn  as  his  successor.  For 
four  years  he  filled  that  office  with  great  success, 
retiring  on  account  of  failing  health.  It  has  always 
been  the  plan  of  Wisconsin  to  send  none  except 
their  ablest  members  to  the  Supreme  Lodge.  I 
think  Captain  Cleghorn  was  elected  representative 
each  year  for  ten  or  fifteen  years.  Upon  entering 
that  body,  his  ability  was  at  once  recognized,  and 
he  always  headed  important  committees.  There 
was  no  position  in  the  Supreme  Lodge  but  he  could 
have  been  chosen  to,  had  he  so  desired.  He  died 
suddenly  while  riding  on  a  street-car  in  Denver, 
Colorado,  in  the  spring  of  1898.  What  a  sad  day 
that  was  to  us  all  when  we  heard  of  his  death, 
for  we  all  loved  him. 

My  stay  of  nearly  two  weeks  at  the  assembly 
was  among  the  most  pleasant  events  of  my  life. 
From  Camp  Cleghorn  I  came  to  Lithia  Springs, 
had  a  happy  reunion  with  many  old  friends,  and 
listened  to  some  of  the  ablest  speakers  in  America. 
Lithia  Springs  Assembly  stands  at  the  head  of 
all  assemblies  in  the  West  for  the  array  of  talent 
which  it  presents  every  year  to  the  people. 

After  resting  a  few  days  at  the  close  of  the 
assembly,  I  made  an  address  at  Charleston,  and 
at  Ashmore  at  a  picnic.  I  then  went  East  and 


302  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

delivered  a  series  of  addresses  in  New  York  under 
the  auspices  of  the  Prohibition  Union  of  Chris- 
tian Men. 

Mr.  C.  N.  Howard,  the  founder  of  that  organ- 
ization, is  a  young  man  of  remarkable  powers.  At 
this  writing  he  is  thirty-two  years  old,  and  will 
weigh  about  one  hundred  and  twenty  pounds.  He 
is  a  business  man  in  Rochester.  He  began  this 
movement  in  that  city  some  two  years  ago.  There 
was  no  city  in  the  Union,  perhaps,  where  the  liquor 
element' was  stronger  or  where  it  was  more  defiant; 
and  yet  this  movement  under  the  management  of 
Mr.  Howard  has  revolutionized  public  sentiment 
completely.  He  has  since  organized  unions  in 
Syracuse,  Utica,  and  Ithaca,  in  the  East,  and  St. 
Louis  in  the  West.  I  can  only  account  for  Mr. 
Howard's  wonderful  powers  on  the  ground  that  he 
is  called  and  ordained  of  God  for  this  great  work. 

I  spoke  for  sixteen  nights  in  New  York — in 
Rochester,  Utica,  Syracuse,  Lysander.  Ithaca, 
Geneseo,  and  Hornellsville.  I  have  not  addressed 
such  meetings  for  size  and  enthusiasm  in  twenty 
years.  I  now  returned  West,  and  spoke  a  week 
in  Michigan  under  the  auspices  of  brother  O.  W. 
Blain,  the  Grand  Chief  Templar  of  that  State. 

Brother  Blain  had  been  a  business  man  in 
Grand  Rapids  until  about  ten  years  ago,  when 
he  entered  the  temperance  field.  He  is  one 
of  the  most  successful  organizers  our  order 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  303 

has  ever  had.  He  is  so  conscientious,  and  his 
work  is  so  thoroughly  done,  that  the  results 
are  the  very  best.  He  is  genial,  warm-hearted, 
constantly  bubbling  over  with  humor — it  is  a  bene- 
diction to  know  him.  To  be  in  his  lovely  home, 
presided  over  by  his  accomplished  wife,  is  a  pleas- 
ure that  one  never  forgets. 

After  lecturing  a  week  in  Michigan,  I  returned 
to  Illinois  and  attended  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Good 
Templars.  At  this  session  brother  Uriah  Copp 
closed  his  long  service  as  Grand  Chief  Templar  of 
this  jurisdiction.  Here  I  again  met  brother  R.  J. 
Hazlett  and  wife.  Brother  Hazlett  has  been  for 
sixteen  years  Grand  Secretary  of  Illinois.  He  had 
long  been  a  member  of  his  subordinate  lodge 
when  he  was  elected  Grand  Secretary,  but  had 
been  a  member  of  the  Grand  Lodge  only  one  year ; 
so  he  was  quite  unknown  to  the  order.  And  yet, 
from  the  fact  that  he  has  been  sixteen  times  elected 
Grand  Chief  Secretary,  the  esteem  in  which  he  is 
held  by  the  Grand  Lodge  is  made  plain.  Twelve 
times  he  has  been  chosen  by  a  unanimous  vote. 
He  and  brother  B.  F.  Parker  of  Wisconsin  are 
recognized  as  the  ablest  secretaries  in  the  body. 
He  is  very  quiet  and  reserved  in  his  manners,  and 
so  Christian  in  his  life,  character,  and  conduct, 
that  he  is  respected  by  all.  His  wife,  formerly 
Miss  Genie  Nash,  was  a  field  worker  when  I 
became  acquainted  with  her.  A  woman  of  fine 


304  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

literary  ability,  a  good  speaker,  persevering  in 
whatever  she  undertakes,  she  scarcely  ever  knows 
what  failure  is.  She  is  a  thorough  Good  Templar 
in  every  respect.  She  has  been  a  great  help  to 
her  husband  in  his  work.  She  is  associate  editor 
of  the  International  Good  Templar,  a  magazine 
that  is  the  organ  of  the  order. 

After  the  Grand  Lodge  had  adjourned,  I  lect- 
ured in  Decatur  for  a  week.  I  then  went  to  Coles 
County,  where  I  spoke  at  Hutton.  I  attended  the 
Unitarian  State  Conference  at  Bloomington,  and 
returned  to  Shelbyville  and  made  arrangements 
for  the  writing  of  this  life  history. 

At  the  Decatur  Prohibition  camp-meeting  in 
1889  I  met  Mrs.  Helen  Gougar.  I  knew  consider- 
able of  her  by  reputation,  and  had  read  some  of 
her  speeches,  so  I  was  prepared  to  a  certain 
extent  to  meet  the  kind  of  person  I  met.  Mrs. 
Gougar  is  a  vigorous  woman,  both  in  body  and 
mind.  When  I  met  her  I  should  have  judged  her 
to  be  about  forty-five.  She  is  a  natural-born 
agitator  and  reformer.  She  took  a  part  in  this 
country  in  favor  of  Ireland.  She  has  been  and  is  a 
prominent  advocate  of  woman  suffrage.  She  was 
for  years  one  of  the  ablest  orators  of  the  Prohibi- 
tion party;  but  in  the  last  presidential  election 
(1896)  she  became  a  vehement  advocate  of  the 
currency  reform,  supporting  Mr.  Bryan.  If  any 
one  thinks  of  antagonizing  Mrs.  Gougar  on  any 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  305 

question,  I  would  advise  him  to  go  armed  at  every 
point.  In  her  private  intercourse  with  people  she 
is  very 'charming  and  pleasant.  As  a  talker  I 
never  met  one  so  inexhaustible.  I  never  yet  knew 
her  to  deliberately  close  a  speech  and  sit  down: 
she  always  talks  until  something  happens — the 
platform  gives  way,  or  lightning  strikes  a  tree,  or 
the  bell  rings  for  dinner,  or  the  train  that  she 
wants  to  go  on,  leaves.  Mrs.  Gougar  is  a  very 
fine-looking  woman,  with  red  cheeks,  an  abundance 
of  white  hair,  and  would  be  a  marked  person  in 
any  assembly. 

One  of  the  brightest  young  men  coming 
up  along  his  line  is  Mr.  A.  E.  Wilson,  the  secre- 
tary of  the  Prohibition  committee  of  Illinois.  He 
began  his  career  on  the  Chicago  Lever  some  ten 
years  ago,  and  was  connected  with  that  paper 
until  some  two  or  three  years  ago,  since  when  he 
has  devoted  his  entire  time  as  secretary  of  the 
Prohibition  committee,  and  has  made  a  decided 
success.  A  couple  of  years  ago  he  took  unto 
himself  a  wife,  who  is  a  very  bright  and  charming 
woman. 

Another  successful  worker  is  Rev.  George  M. 
Bassett,  for  sixteen  years  the  Assistant  Grand  Sec- 
retary of  the  Good  Templars  of  Illinois,  and  a 
brother  of  C.  W.  Bassett,  for  some  years  Grand 
Secretary.  Brother  Bassett  is  a  graduate  of  the 
Northwestern  University,  and  also  of  the  Garret 


3p6  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

Theological  School.  He  has  been  a  very  promi- 
nent and  successful  minister  of  the  Rock  River 
Conference.  He  is  a  man  of  a  decided  personality, 
with  a  rich,  warm  nature,  frank  and  open-hearted, 
manly  and  true ;  a  thorough  friend,  and  I  have 
loved  him  all  these  years  as  a  brother.  And  his 
wife  is  one  of  the  best  of  women,  finely  educated, 
and  a  true  helpmeet. 

Another  one  who  has  been  a  coworker  with 
me  in  the  Prohibition  cause  in  Illinois  for  many 
years,  is  Colonel  James  Felter.  I  think  some  of 
the  strongest  speeches  I  ever  heard  in  behalf  of  the 
Prohibition  party  were  made  by  this  distin- 
guished champion  of  our  cause.  He  is  a  man  of 
striking  appearance,  something  over  six  feet  high, 
a  magnificent  head,  dark  blue  eyes;  the  very  pic- 
ture of  strength  and  manliness.  He  was  a  gallant 
soldier  during  the  Civil  War,  and  is  very  popular  in 
Grand- Army-of-the -Republic  circles. 

I  have  organized  two  thousand  and  eighty-six 
lodges  of  Good  Templars,  and  taken  into  the  order 
ninety  thousand  members.  In  all  of  my  eight 
hundred  thousand  miles  of  travel,  I  have  never  been 
aboard  a  boat,  or  a  ship,  or  a  train,  when  there 
has  been  anyone  injured  by  accident. 

Though  I  am  fifty-seven  years  of  age  at  this 
time,  I  am  not  conscious  of  the  slightest  decadence 
in  any  of  my  mental  or  physical  powers.  During 
the  last  year,  on  one  occasion  I  rode  thirty  miles 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  307 

by  private  conveyance,  and  made  four  speeches  in 
one  day,  and  felt  in  splendid  condition  when  I 
retired. 

My  life  up  to  the  present  time  has  been 
exceedingly  happy.  My  work  has  brought  me  in 
contact  and  association  with  the  best  people  in 
the  world,  and  I  am  not  aware  that  I  have  an 
enemy  on  earth.  I  am  sure  that  I  am  not  an 
enemy  of  anybody  in  the  world.  And  if  I  had  my 
life  to  live  over  again,  I  would  choose  the  same 
path  ;  avoiding,  however,  some  of  the  mistakes  that 
I  have  made.  And  I  think  my  life  has  been  a 
remarkably  successful  one,  considering  the  small 
amount  of  mental  capital  I  had  invested. 

Some  years  ago  I  was  the  guest  for  a  night  at 
the  home  of  a  distinguished  American  statesman, 
who  has  been  the  governor  of  his  State,  and  is  now 
serving  on  his  third  term  in  the  United  States 
Senate.  He  and  I  had  become  acquainted  when 
we  were  both  just  starting  out  in  life.  We  were 
both  born  in  the  same  year.  In  addition  to 
his  success  politically,  he  has  been  very  successful 
financially,  being  a  millionaire.  During  the  evening 
a  gentleman  called  on  him,  and  they  stepped  into 
the  library,  which  was  just  off  from  the  parlor, 
leaving  me  to  be  entertained  by  his  very  charming 
and  witty  wife.  During  our  talk  the  lady  told  a 
witty  story — for  she  was  a  very  good  story-teller — 
and  I  gave  a  very  hearty  laugh,  as  I  often  do. 


308  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

After  his  wife  had  retired,  he  said  to  me: 
"How  much  money  have  you  accumulated?" 

I  told  him  I  couldn't  tell  exactly,  but  I  would 
see  in  a  minute.  I  was  pretty  flush  that  day. 
When  I  went  down  into  my  pocket,  I  found  twelve 
dollars  and  sixty-two  cents. 

"Well,"  said  my  distinguished  friend,  "the 
world  generally  would  say  that  I  have  been  the 
more  successful  man  of  the  two.  I  have  all  the 
political  honors  I  ever  aspired  to,  and  have 
accumulated  more  wealth  than  I  ever  expected  to. 
You  have  none  of  these  things,  and  yet  you  are  the 
happier  man  of  the  two.  I  see  by  your  talk  that 
you  believe  in  everybody,  "while  I  believe  in 
hardly  anybody.  Your  life  has  been  such  that  you 
have  seen  the  best  side  of  mankind ;  mine  has  been 
such  that  I  have  seen  the  worst  side  of  mankind. 
I  have  a  lot  of  political  friends,  yet  I  know  they 
wouldn't  hesitate  to  cut  my  throat,  metaphorically 
speaking,  or  trample  me  under  foot  at  any  time 
when  it  would  advance  their  interests.  I  thought 
when  I  heard  you  laugh  to-night  while  I  was  in  the 
library,  that.  I  would  give  half  of  my  fortune  if  I 
could  give  such  a  hearty  laugh  as  that." 

I  have  often  been  asked  where  I  received  my 
education.  I  have  to  answer  that  up  to  the  age  of 
eleven  years  my  mother  taught  me;  and  since  then 
I  have  picked  up  all  that  I  have.  I  never  went  to 
school  a  day  in  my  life.  I  always  had  a  passion 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  309 

for  books — and  the  best  of  books;  I  have  never 
read  any  of  the  light,  trashy  literature.  The 
works  of  fiction  that  I  have  read  have  for  the  most 
part  been  standard  works.  My  reading  has  gen- 
erally been  historical,  biographical,  travels,  sociol- 
ogy. The  magazines  that  I  have  read  chiefly  have 
been  the  Century,  Arena,  Forum,  North  American 
Review,  and  Harper 's  Magazine.  I  have  often 
been  asked  what  my  method  of  learning  to  read 
English  was.  That  was  quite  easy  for  me:  the 
Polish  language  has  the  Latin  letters  the  same  as 
the  English  language;  so  just  as  soon  as  I  once 
learned  to  speak  English,  I  easily  learned  to  read 
English.  Strange  as  it  may  seem,  the  first  book 
that  I  read  in  the  English  tongue  was  the  history 
of  Aaron  Burr  and  his  celebrated  trial.  The  next 
book  was  Irving's  "Lite  of  Washington."  Capt. 
Magruder,  afterward  Major- General  Magruder  of 
the  Confederate  army,  my  old  captain,  let  me  have 
the  book.  He  said  it  would  make  a  good- Amer- 
ican of  me,  and  it  did.  My  next  book  was 
Bancroft's  "  History  of  the  United  States."  This 
was  followed  by  Gibbon's  "History  of  Rome,"  and 
from  that  time  on  I  have  always  been  passionately 
fond  of  history. 

I  have  never  cared  for  games  of  any  kind ;  con- 
sequently I  have  never  played  any  except  croquet, 
and  never  liked  that.  I  love  music  and  painting; 
especially  am  I  fond  of  vocal  music.  I  am  passion- 


310  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

ately  fond  of  children — especially  little  girls. 
Children  intuitively  seem  to  know  my  fondness 
for  them,  and  they  soon  begin  to  recognize  me  on 
the  street;  and  when  I  lecture  in  a  place  a  week 
or  ten  days,  as  I  usually  do,  it  is  the  children  who 
always  greet  me  the  first  thing  when  I  leave  the 
platform. 

I  was  always  fond  of  reading  religious  literature, 
and  especially  had  a  passion  for  reading  or  investi- 
gating religious  beliefs  and  controversies;  so  that 
I  am  fairly  well  posted  in  regard  to  the  beliefs  of 
the  leading  religious  denominations  :  and  I  think 
the  fact  that  I  have  read  so  many  of  these  books 
of  controversy  has  brought  me  to  the  point  of 
appreciating  how  little  theological  views  have  to 
do  with  Christian  life  and  character.  Since  I  have 
arrived  at  what  they  call  the  "  years  of  understand- 
ing," my  views  upon  theological  matters  have 
greatly  changed.  My  religious  views  at  this  writing 
(November  28th,  1899)  are  these:  I  believe  in  one 
eternal  God  and  loving  Father  of  all,  the  Creator 
and  Governor  of  all  things.  I  believe  in  Jesus 
Christ,  who  was  sent  to  teach  us  the  way  of  salva- 
tion and  truth.  I  believe  it  is  our  religious  duty 
to  do  all  we  can  to  overcome  every  evil  propensity 
of  our  nature,  and  I  believe  that  through  God's 
grace  and  power  we  can  accomplish  this.  I 
believe  we  should  carry  pur  religion  into  all  the 
affairs  of  life.  In  all  of  our  transactions  with  our 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  311 

fellowmen,  we    should    in    every    case    do    as   we 
would  have  them  do  unto  us. 

I  am  a  member  of  the  First  Congregational 
Church  at  Shelbyville,  Illinois,  Rev.  J.  L.  Douthit, 
pastor. 

*HOW  THE  WOLF  IN  SHEEP'S  CLOTHING 
WAS  UNMASKED. 

In  the  summer  of  1881  there  appeared  an 
announcement  in  the  papers  of  Rockford,  Illinois, 
that  a  certain  minister  of  one  of  our  well-known, 
popular,  and  aristocratic  churches  would  speak  in 
the  Opera  House  of  that  city  on  the  subject  of 
temperance. 

There  being  a  great  deal  of  interest  in  temper- 
ance at  the  time  in  that  city,  the  Opera  House 
was  full  to  overflowing.  When  the  prominent 
temperance  people  arrived,  they  were  amazed  to 
find  nearly  all,  if  not  all,  the  saloon-keepers  of  the 
city  present,  also  the  prominent  brewer  of  the  city, 
and  other  persons  who  were  generally  known  to  be 
opposed  to  temperance  reform.  Their  amazement 
was  so  great  that  they  wondered  if  the  millennium 
had  come. 

The  clerical  gentleman  came,  and  began  speak- 
ing without  any  introduction.  The  first  five  or 
ten  minutes  were  occupied  in  deploring  the  evil  of 

*Note : — The  following  two  very  interesting  articles  should  have 
been  inserted  in  previous  chapters,  but  were  received  too  late;  hence 
their  insertion  here. — EDITOR. 


312  •   „     Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

intemperance.  Then  he  glided  off  into  a  discussion 
of  the  prohibition  question,  denouncing  it  as  an 
insane  policy,  destructive  of  personal  rights  of  the 
citizen,  and  ineffective  in  promoting  its  desired  end. 
The  speaker  used  the  argument  that  is  generally 
used  by  those  who  oppose  the  prohibition  idea. 
The  saloon-keepers,  the  brewer,  and  the  anti-tem- 
perance people  applauded  him  frequently  and 
loudly. 

While  he  was  in  the  city  of  Rockford  the 
preacher  was  interviewed,  and  said  that  his 
expenses  were  paid  by  prominent  Christian  men  of 
the  State,  who  did  not  wish  to  have  their  names 
mentioned,  on  account  of  the  abuse  they  would 
be  sure  to  receive  from  the  cranks  and  fanatics. 

This  same  temperance  preacher  spoke  in  nearly 
all  the  prominent  towns  of  Illinois.  At  the  close 
of  his  address  at  Lincoln,  Illinois, he  was  challenged 
to  meet  in  discussion  in  that  city  John  B.  Finch 
of  Nebraska,  who  was  national  chairman  of  the 
Prohibition  party.  He  accepted  the'  challenge, 
and  a  date  was  fixed. 

I  happened  to  be  in  Lincoln,  Nebraska,  at  the 
time  when  Mr.  Finch  received  the  notification  of  the 
debate.  Finch  came  to  me,  bringing  with  him  the 
letter,  and  said  that  he  was  convinced  the  minister 
was  in  the  pay  of  the  liquor  men,  and  that  a  plan 
must  be  laid  to  catch  him  and  expose  him.  So 
we  formed  a  plan.  I  secured  an  envelope  and  a 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  313 

letter-head  of  a  prominent  liquor  dealer  of  Lincoln, 
Nebraska,  and  wrote  the  following  letter: 

Hon.  Harry  Ruebens,  Attorney  for  the  Liquor  Dealers' 
Association  of  Chicago. 

MY  DEAR  SIR  : — I  hear  that  the  Rev.  C —  C —  B — ,  of 
Iowa,  is  lecturing  against  prohibition  with  great  success  in 
Illinois,  under  the  auspices  of  your  Association.  When  could 
his  services  be  secured  to  speak  in  this  State,  and  what  are  his 
charges  ? 

In  a  few  days  after,  I  received  a  response  from 
Mr.  Ruebens,  written  on  the  official  letter-head  of 
the  Liquor  Dealers'  Association.  He  said  I  had 
better  address  Mr.  B—  -  direct,  giving  me  the 
town  in  Iowa  where  Rev.  B resided. 

So  I  wrote  him  as  follows,  using  Mr.  Rueben's 
letter  as  a  credential: 

MY  DEAR  SIR  : — When  could  the  Liquor  Dealers'  Asso- 
ciation of  this  State  ( Nebraska )  secure  your  services  to  give  a 
series  of  speeches  in  this  State  against  prohibition,  in  behalf  of 
the  liquor  dealers,  and  how  much  would  you  charge  for  the  same  ? 

In  a  few  days  I  received  a  letter  from  the  rev- 
erend gentleman,  on  a  letter-head  of  the  rectory  of 
Christ's  Church,  in  which  he  said : 

MY  DEAR  SIR  :  —  Your  letter  received.  I  will  come  to 
you  at  the  same  terms  on  which  I  have  been  speaking  for  the 
Liquor  Dealers'  Association  of  Illinois.  They  pay  me  twenty- 
five  dollars  per  lecture  and  allow  me  ten  dollars  a  day  for  travel- 
ing expenses.  I  shall  be  very  happy  to  come  and  speak  in  your 
State  at  the  same  terms. 

I  am  soon  to  have  a  debate  with  John  B.  Finch,  of  your  city. 


314  Life  of  Colofiel  John  Sobieski. 

This  correspondence  was  certified  to,  and  an 
affidavit  was  made,  and  all  was  placed  in  the  hands 
of  Mr.  Finch.  When  he  went  to  Lincolnv  Illinois, 
to  hold  the  debate,  Mr.  Finch  had  the  opening, 
and  in  his  speech  he  charged  the  reverend  gentle- 
man with  being  in  the  paid  interest  of  the  Liquor 
Dealers'  Association  of  Illinois. 

The  reverend  gentleman  (?)  in  his  reply  entered 
into  a  denial  with  a  great  show  of  indignation,  and 
closed  his  protest  in  these  words:  "I  declare  here 
in  the  presence  of  this  great  audience  that  the 
statement  made  by  my  opponent  this  evening, 
that  I  have  received  and  am  now  receiving  any  pay 
as  compensation  from  the  Liquor  Dealers'  Asso- 
ciation of  this  State,  to  be  false  and  malicious,  and 
I  invoke  the  presence  of  Almighty  God  to  the 
truthfulness  of  this  statement." 

That  closed  the  discussion  for  that  night.  The 
next  day  the  friends  of  the  liquor  interest,  together 
with  the  clergyman  of  the  same  church  of  which 
this  reverend  gentleman  was  a  member,  sought  to 

get  up  a  good  deal  of  sympathy  for  Rev.  Mr.  B , 

because  of  what  they  claimed  to  be  a  false  and 
unwarranted  attack  upon  his  high  character  as  a 
Christian  minister. 

The  next  evening  Mr.  Finch  opened  the  dis- 
cussion again,  and  spoke  of  his  charge  of  the 
night  before,  and  of  the  denial.  Then,  drawing 
the  papers  from  his  pocket,  he  proceeded  to  read 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  315 

the  entire  correspondence,  in  which  the  reverend 
gentleman  confessed  that  he  was  in  the  pay  of  the 
Liquor  Dealers'  Association  of  Illinois,  and  stated 
his  willingness  to  go  to  Nebraska  and  speak  for 
the  liquor  men  on  the  same  terms. 

A  denial  was  impossible.  A  lady  who  sat  on 
the  platform  beside  him  told  me  that  she  never  saw 
a  man  look  as  he  did  :  perspiration  rolled  from  his 
face  in  great  drops,  his  chest  rose  and  fell,  and  his 
face  first  turned  to  whiteness,  and  then  was  covered 
with  blushes  of  shame.  He  had  been  convicted 
before  the  great  audience  not  only  of  being  in  the 
pay  of  the  liquor  interest,  but  of  being  a  liar  and  a 
perjurer. 

The  hypocrite  was  thus  unmasked.  The  Liquor 
Dealers'  Association  let  him  drop.  They  had 
banked  on  his  standing  as  a  Christian  minister, 
but  when  that  was  gone,  they  had  no  further 
use  for  him. 

Since  then,  when  I  read  of  ministers  in  any 
church  writing  articles  in  defence  of  the  liquor 
traffic,  or  preaching  sermons  in  denunciation  of 
laudable  efforts  that  are  being  made  to  overthrow 
the  saloon  power,  I  always  wonder  if  they  are 
getting  twenty-five  dollars  a' day  and  expenses. 

THE  GREATEST  CRIME  1  EVER  COMMITTED. 

It  is  the  saying  among  the  French,  that  an 
Englishman  will  arise  on  a  beautiful  morning — 


3 1 6  Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski. 

which  they  occasionally  have  in  England — and  say: 
"This  is  a  glorious  morning,  let  us  go  out  and  kill 
something."  But  I  never  had  a  fondness  for  the 
murder  of  animals  or  birds,  or  even  fish. 

Some  years  ago,  I  was  stopping  with  a  friend, 
a  doctor  in  a  little  town  in  Illinois,  and  he  pro- 
posed that  we  should  go  out  and  kill  something. 
So,  giving  me  a  musket,  and  taking  one  for  him- 
self, we  started  for  a  small  grove  a  couple  of  miles 
from  his  house,  but  failed  to  find  anything  to 
kill.  The  squirrels,  which  were  our  objective  game, 
had  evidently  got  an  inkling  of  our  coming,  and 
kept  out  of  sight.  After  an  hour  or  so  spent  in 
the  forest,  we  started  to  return  to  the  house. 

Sauntering  leisurely  along  under  some  tall  elms, 
I  heard  a  bird  singing,  and  looking  up  I  saw  a  wee 
bit  of  a  bird  perched  upon  a  lofty  limb,  singing  very 
sweetly.  Without  a  moment's  thought,  and  with- 
out the  slightest  idea  that  I  could  hit  so  small  a 
mark  (for  I  had  none  of  the  spirit  of  murder  in  my 
heart),  I  up  with  my  musket  and  banged  away.  I 
saw  some  feathers  fly,  and  the  little  songster  came 
dropping  down  from  branch  to  branch,  and  fell  at 
my  feet.  I  stooped  down  and  picked  it  up.  It 
was  a  tiny  little  thing,  not  much  larger  than  my 
thumb,  of  a  yellowish  green  color,  as  beautiful  as 
it  could  be.  Then  like  a  flash  the  thought  came 
upon  me:  what  a  contemptible  deed  I  had  done! 
Here  was  one  of  God's  beautiful  creatures  that  had 


Life  of  Colonel  John  Sobieski.  317 

just  as  much  right  to  existence  as  I,  and  its  life, 
doubtless,  was  as  sweet  to  it  as  mine  was  to  me, 
and  at  the  very  moment  that  it  was  singing  its 
beautiful  songs  to  make  the  world  more  pleasant 
and  glorious,  I  had  brutally  shot  it  to  death! 

I  carefully  buried  it  among  the  leaves,  and  then 
promised  myself  that  I  would  never  again  wantonly 
destroy  life.  I  then  begged  my  friend,  who  wore 
a  pair  of  very  heavy  boots,  to  please  kick  me  over 
to  his  house.  This  he  refused  to  do.  But  I 
returned  to  his  home  a  wiser  and  a  sadder  man. 

I  regard  this  the  greatest  crime  I  ever  com- 
mitted. 


3i8          The  Rise  and  Fall  of  the  Polish  Republic. 


THE  RISE  AND  FALL  OF  THE 
POLISH  REPUBLIC. 

This  is  Colonel  Sobieski's  most  famous  lecture,  in  which  is  told  the 
whole  story  of  his  people's  struggle  for  freedom. 

A  nation,  like  an  individual,  as  soon  as  it  ceases 
to  play  an  important  part  in  the  affairs  of  men,  is 
forgotten.  Take  the  men  who  laid  the  foundation 
of  the  American  Republic,  how  few  of  the  names 
of  the  founders  have  survived  the  century: 
Washington,  Jefferson,  Franklin,  Adams,  and 
Hamilton,  and  that  is  about  all.  Other  men 
struggled,  sacrificed,  and  died,  and  yet  how 
strangely  their  names  would  sound  to  the  average 
person  of  this  generation  ;  and  'tis  so  with  a  nation. 

A  little  over  a  hundred  years  ago  my  native 
country  was  one  of  the  most  powerful  in  Europe. 
In  population  we  exceeded  all  except  France  and 
Russia.  In  territory  we  exceeded  them  all  except 
Russia.  In  art,  science,  education,  we  were  well 
up  to  the  most  of  them.  In  the  achievement  of 
arms  I  think  we  eclipsed  them  all;  and  yet  a  little 
more  than  a  century  has  passed  since  she  was  so 
foully  assassinated:  and  how  little  is  the  world's 
knowledge  of  that  once  great  country. 

I  am  often  reminded  of  it  in  my  travels.  Upon 
one  occasion  I  was  introduced  to  a  gentleman 


The  Rise  and  Fall  of  the  Polish  Republic.          319 

belonging  to  one  of  the  learned  professions,  who  said 
to  me:  "I  should  judge  that  you  are  a  foreigner, 
by  your  name." 

I  said,   "Yes,  I  was  born  across  the  water." 

"I  should  judge  you  to  be  an  Italian,"  said  he. 

I  said,  "No,  I  was  born  in  Poland." 

He  said,  "Poland,  Poland — let  me  see — Poland. 
Oh  yes!  I  remember  now;  that's  where  the  polar 
bears  come  from." 

I  remember  upon  another  occasion,  I  had  been 
lecturing  for  a  week  in  one  of  the  college  towns  of 
Illinois.  A  few  weeks  afterward  I  met  a  clergy- 
man, in  whose  church  I  had  lectured  while  there. 
He  told  me  this  story. 

A  few  days  after  my  departure,  one  of  his  par- 
ishioners was  called  upon  by  a  friend,  and  in 
the  course  of  the  conversation  they  spoke  of  my 
lectures,  and  spoke  very  kindly  of  them. 

The  caller  said:  "I  thought  he  was  such 
a  fine-looking  gentleman,  too  ;  that  is,  for  a  China- 
man." 

"Why,"  said  her  friend,  "he's  not  a  Chinaman; 
he  was  born  in  Poland." 

"Well,"  she  said,  "isn't  China  in  Poland?" 

I  only  speak  of  this  to  show  how  in  a  little  over 
a  century  from  the  time  Poland  was  so  powerful, 
she  has  passed  from  the  stage  of  action,  and  her 
memory  has  faded  from  the  thoughts  and  knowledge 
of  men. 


320          The  Rise  and  Fall  of  the  Polish  Republic. 

In  this  address  I  shall  only  discourse  upon  her 
history  from  the  time  of  the  republic,  1572.  The 
circumstances  that  caused  the  origin  of  the  repub- 
lic were  these. 

The  Jagellon  dynasty,  which  had  ruled  in  that 
country  for  a  hundred  years,  had  become  extinct. 
Now  it  became  necessary  either  to  found  a  new 
dynasty,  or  to  found  a  new  form  of  government; 
and  the  Polish  people — and  when  I  say  the  Polish 
people,  I  mean  the  nobility — had  got  a  glimmer,  as 
it  were,  of  popular  government,  but  failed  to  com- 
prehend the  whole  idea.  They  could  not  under- 
stand how  the  rule  of  the  majority  could  be  less 
odious  to  the  the  ruled  minority,  than  the  single 
despot.  So  they  organized  the  new  government 
upon  the  unit  system.  It  provided  first  that  the 
first  officer  of  the  republic  should  be  styled  a  king, 
yet  they  denied  him  all  kingly  authority.  He  did 
not  possess  one-tenth  of  the  power  that  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  American  Republic  exercises  under 
her  constitution.  He  was  not  much  more  than  the 
chief  marshal  of  the  republic.  Then  he  had  to  be 
chosen  by  a  unanimous  vote  of  the  constituency,  in 
which  every  nobleman  in  the  republic  had  a  voice 
and  a  vote.  A  single  vote  given  adversely  was 
just  as  effective  to  defeat  as  though  every 
vote  in  the  republic  had  been  cast  against  him. 
The  law-making  power  was  vested  in  two  Houses, 
called  the  Diet,  and  every  proposed  enactment  had 


The  Rise  and  Fall  of  the  Polish  Republic^.          321 

to  be  passed  by  a  unanimous  vote ;  and  what  was 
still  more  absurd,  was  what  was  known  as  veto 
libertum,  by  which  at  any  time  during  the  proceed- 
ings any  single  member  by  quitting  the  body  could 
bring  the  entire  proceedings  to  a  standstill. 

Another  great  defect  of  our  government  was 
our  serfdom.  More  than  two-thirds  of  the  people 
were  serfs.  The  only  difference  between  our  serfs, 
and  the  slaves  of  this  country  of  a  generation  ago, 
was  that  your  slaves  could  be  sold  from  the  auction- 
block,  while  our  serfs  could  not  be  sold.  They 
were  a  part  of  the  realty  itself.  Your  slaves 
belonged  to  a  different  race;  ours  were  our  own 
race — our  own  people — our  own  countrymen. 
And  when  I  look  back  over  the  last  hundred  years 
of  sadness' and  sorrow, — that  hundred  years  of 
sorrow  and  sadness  that  is  unspeakable, — and  when 
I  ask,  "Why  all  of  this?"  the  answer  comes  back, 
"It  is  but  the  recompense  for  our  own  sins  against 
our  own  countrymen." 

Now,  having  spoken  of  some  of  the  defects  of 
our  constitution,  I  will  speak  of  some  of  its  virtues. 
It  has  been  supposed  by  the  world  that  religious 
liberty  is  of  quite  recent  origin.  Yet  Poland  put 
in  her  constitution  three  hundred  years  ago  these 
words:  "The  right  to  worship  God  as  one  sees 
fit  and  proper,  shall  never  be  questioned."  Under 
that  provision  Jew  and  Gentile,  Catholic  and  Prot- 
estant, Mohammedan  and  infidel,  were  at  perfect 


322          The  Rise  and  Fall  of  the  Polish  Republic. 

liberty  to  worship  God  as  they  saw  fit  and  proper. 

Another  article  of  our  constitution  was  just  as 
extraordinary,  considering  the  age  in  which  it  was 
promulgated.  Up  to  a  hundred  years  ago,  nation 
made  war  upon  nation,  often  simply  to  plunder 
each  other — "for  revenue  only;"  yet  Poland  put 
in  her  constitution  three  hundred  years  ago  these 
words:  "The  arms  of  the  republic  shall  never  be 
engaged,  except  for  these  purposes:  in  defense  of 
the  republic,  and  in  defense  of  the  Christian 
religion."  And  in  the  two  hundred  years  that  the 
republic  existed,  this  provision  was  never  violated. 

Now,  having  spoken  of  her  peculiar  institutions, 
I  will  proceed  to  speak  of  her  military  grandeur. 
It  had  ever  been  the  dream  of  every  successor 
of  the  great  Mohammed,  that  the  time  would  come 
when  the  Crescent  would  triumph  everywhere,  and 
that  the  religion  of  the  great  Prophet  would  be 
universal.  This  had  led  to  seven  hundred  years  of 
almost  constant  contest  between  the  followers  of 
Jesus,  so  called,  on  one  side,  and  the  followers  of 
Mohammed  on  the  other  side  ;  and  Poland,  occupy- 
ing the  position  that  she  did,  often  became  the 
battle-ground  between  these  two  contending  faiths. 
Poland  stood  like  a  wall  of  fire  protecting  the 
Christian  world  from  the  swords  of  Mohammedan 
fanatics,  who  again  and  again  sought  to  overwhelm 
the  Christian  world. 


The  Rise  and  Fall  of  the  Polish  Republic.          323 

I  shall  in  this  discourse  speak  only  of  the  last 
great  struggle  that  the  powers  of  Mohammed  made 
to  conquer  Christendom.  This  was  in  1683.  Hith- 
erto, in  their  battle  against  Christendom,  they  had 
ever  found  a  united  Christian  world  banded  against 
them.  But  now  all  of  this  was  changed.  The 
Christian  world  had  become  hopelessly 'divided 
into  two  hostile  parties,  hating  each  other,  if  pos- 
sible, with  more  bitterness  than  their  ancient 
foe:  the  followers  of  Martin  Luther  on  one  hand, 
and  the  Pope  of  Rome  on  the  other.  , 

"Now, "said  Mohammed  the  Fourth/'Allah  once 
more  smiles  upon  us;  and  in  my  own  day  we  are  to 
sweep  the  hated  Cross  from  existence,  and  the  Cres- 
cent shall*  wave  at  Rome — shall  wave  the  world 
over." 

So  in  the  spring  of  1683,  with  an  army  vari- 
ously estimated  from  five  to  eight  hundred  thous- 
and,— I  will  compromise  it,  and  call  it  six  hundred 
thousand, — under  the  leadership  of  one  of  Moham- 
med's greatest  favorites,  they  marched  out  west- 
ward to  what  they  believed  would  be  their  final 
campaign  of  conquest.  Such  was  the  terror 
they  invoked,  that  they  practically  reached  the  walls 
of  Vienna  unopposed.  When  they  reached  Hun- 
gary they  were  reinforced  by  fifty  thousand  brave 
Hungarian  troops.  Hungary,  long  oppressed  by 
Austria,  had  been  promised  her  religious  and 
political  liberty  if  she  would  aid  the  Moham- 


324          The  Rise  and  Fall  of  the  Polish  Republic. 

medan  army.  The  Mohammedan  army  arrived  at 
the  walls  of  Vienna  about  the  first  of  July.  All 
Europe  was  in  consternation  and  alarm. 

It  was  at  this  time  that  a  deputation  of  forty 
German  and  Austrian  noblemen  came  down  to  the 
court  of  our  king,  John  the  Third,  who  is  known 
in  history  as  John  Sobieski,  the  greatest  warrior  of 
his  day,  and  with  the  exception  of  Napoleon  and 
Frederick  the  Great,  the  greatest  warrior  of  mod- 
ern  times.  This  delegation  came  into  his  presence, 
bowing  before  him  and  kissing  his  garments,  and 
addressed  him.  They  spoke  of  the  battles  he  had 
fought  and  the  victories  he  had  won  when  he  had 
been  outnumbered  ten  to  one.  They  said  they  be- 
lieved that  God  had  raised  him  up  to  succor 
Europe.  They  spoke  of  how  at  that  very  moment 
an  army  of  six  hundred  thousand  Turks  were  bat- 
tering down  the  walls  of  Vienna.  They  closed  by 
using  these  words:  "Oh,  your  Majesty!  come  to 
our  rescue,  and  Europe  will  owe  a  debt  of  gratitude 
to  Poland  that  will  never  be  forgotten." 

How  strangely  sound  those  words  in  review  of 
the  events  a  hundred  years  afterward.  Sobieski 
at  once  ordered  the  assembling  of  his  army.  The 
Polish  army  was  never  a  large  one,  as  the  serfs 
were  not  permitted  to  serve  in  it;  only  the  gentil- 
ity and  the  nobility.  •  But  while  the  army  was 
small,  it  was  composed  of  the  very  best  material ; 
hence  its  great  reputation.  When  he  reached  the 


The  Rise  and  Fall  of  the  Polish  Republic.          325 

frontier,  Sobieski  was  reinforced  by  thirty  thous- 
and Germans  under  the  Duke  of  Lorraine.  With 
this  united  army,  now  numbering  seventy  thous- 
and, they  marched  toward  the  Danube.  They 
expected  that  when  they  reached  the  Danube,  they 
would  find  the  bridge  that  spanned  the  river  either 
destroyed  or  their  passage  disputed.  But,  to  their 
joy,  they  found  neither  to  be  the  case. 

That  is  a  characteristic  of  the  Turk.  I  remem- 
ber at  the  time  of  the  Turko-Russian  War  in  1877, 
I  used  to  predict  the  certain  triumph  of  the  Turks. 
With  so  much  confidence  I  used  to  say:  "The 
Russian  army  will  never  cross  the  Danube."  But 
when  I  saw  them  crossing  it  practically  unopposed, 
but  steering  toward  the  Balkans,  I  said:  "Now  I 
understand  them;  instead  of  attacking  them  at 
the  Danube,  they  will  attack  them  in  the  Balkans." 
So,  with  a  palpitating  heart  I  watched  each  day  the 
march  of  the  Russian  army  into  the  Balkans.  I 
said:  "In  those  narrow  defiles  all  the  wrongs  of 
my  native  country  will  be  wiped  out  in  blood." 
But  judge  my  surprise,  if  you  can, — you  certainly 
cannot  my  chagrin, — when  I  saw  them  entering 
those  defiles,  passing  through  unopposed;  and  not 
until  they  reached  the  plain  beyond,  where  man 
stood  for  man,  did  they  attack  them  at  all. 

I  have  never  prayed  for  the  Turks  since.  I 
thought  if  a  people  would  not  avail  themselves  of 
strategy  better  than  that,  I  would  not  insult  the 


326          The  Rise  and  Fall  of  the  Polish  Republic. 

Almighty  by  asking  him  to  help.  And,  upon  this 
occasion,  had  they  only  destroyed  the  bridge,  or  had 
they  with  a  small  force  opposed  Sobieski's  passage 
of  the  Danube,  they  could  have  delayed  him  for  a 
sufficient  length  of  time  to  have  prevented  the 
saving  of  Vienna;  and  had  they  done  so,  how  differ- 
ently the  history  of  the  world  would  read  to-day. 

On  the  night  of  the  llth  of  September,  So- 
bieski's army  had  arrived  on  the  top  of  Kalem- 
burg  Heights.  The  city  of  Vienna  is  situated  in 
the  valley  of  the  Danube,  that  historic  river  sep- 
arating into  two  branches,  and  reuniting  again  below 
the  city.  Forty-eight  hours  before  the  arrival  of 
Sobieski's  army,  Count  Stahremberg,  the  com- 
mander of  the  city, — for  the  king  and  court  had  long 
since  deserted  the  city, — announced  to  his  people 
that  unless  help  came  within  forty-eight  hours  he 
would  be  compelled  to  open  negotiations  for  the 
surrender  of  the  city.  In  this  action  he  was  cer- 
tainly justified  by  the  situation.  The  walls  of  the 
city  were  crumbling,  and  starvation  and  epidemic 
prevailed  within  the  city.  The  conquest  of  a 
Christian  city  by  a  Mohammedan  army  two  hun- 
dred years  ago  meant  that  all  of  the  strong 
men  would  be  taken  away  to  serve  as  slaves,  and 
all  the  beautiful  women  would  be  taken  away  to 
grace  the  harems  of  the  Mohammedan  conquerors. 

The  archbishop  issued  a  proclamation  asking 
the  people  to  come  up  to  the  Cathedral  of  St. 


The  Rise  and  Fall  of  the  Polish  Republic.          327 

Stephen  and  devote  the  day  to  prayer.  Said  he 
in  his  proclamation:  "Since  all  earthly  kings  have 
failed  us,  now  let  us  ask  the  King  of  kings  and  the 
Prince  of  princes  to  interpose  in  our  behalf."  And 
all  day  long  the  people  gathered  round  their  great 
cathedral,  inside,  outside,  everywhere,  asking 
God's  interposition  in  their  behalf;  and  when  night 
came  the  priests  remained  at  the  altars,  still  invok- 
ing the  favor  of  Almighty  God. 

Every  morning  for  more  than  three  weeks  a 
man  had  been  sent  to  the  top  of  the  tower  of 
St.  Stephen  to  see  if  there  was  any  appearance  of 
the  army  of  the  rescuers.  But  the  morning  after 
the  day  of  prayer,  the  fateful  morning  of  the  12th 
of  September,  was  the  last  morning.  Now  just  by 
the  wave  of  the  hand  the  fate  of  the  people  would 
be  sealed.  So  warriors  left  their  places  at  the 
bridge,  and  women  left  their  homes,  to  gather 
about  St.  Stephen  to  watch  the  signal  from  the  top 
of  the  tower. 

The  man  started  out  upon  his  journey  up  the 
tower.  He  must  have  seemed  to  the  people  of  that 
beleaguered  city  like  a  messenger  going  into  the 
presence  of  the  Almighty.  Arriving  at  the  top 
of  the  tower,  before  raising  his  eyes  to  look 
in  the  direction  of  Kalemburg,  he  dropped 
his  head  for  a  moment  in  silent  prayer.  Now, 
raising  his  eyes  and  looking  in  the  direction  of 
Mt.  Kalemburg,  how  his  heart  must  have  leaped 


328          The  Rise  and  Fall  of  the  Polish  Republic. 

with  joy,  for  lo  and  behold!  its  crest  was  all  covered 
with  the  army  of  Sobieski.  With  his  glass  he 
could  easily  discern  the  barred  banner  of  Poland; 
and  he  waved  back  the  glad  tidings:  ''The  city  is 
saved;  the  King  of  Poland  has  come."  Upon  that 
announcement  the  thousands  who  had  gathered 
around  the  cathedral  rent  the  sky  with  their  shouts 
of  joy.  The  glad  warriors  returned  to  the  bridge 
to  continue  their  resistance,  while  mothers  and 
daughters  returned  to  their  homes,  giving  thanks 
to  God  for  his  deliverance  from  their  terrible  foe. 

But  while  this  feeling  of  exultation  was  going 
on  in  the  city,  quite  different  was  the  feeling  on 
Kalemburg  Heights.  When  the  morning  dawned 
and  the  Christian  army  looked  down  beneath 
them,  what  a  sight  greeted  them! 

Vienna  at  that  time  was  a  city  of  about  two 
hundred  and  fifty  thousand  population,  nestling 
there  in  the  beautiful  valley  of  the  Danube. 
Stretching  out  before  them  as  far  as  eye  could  see, 
and  farther,  was  this  magnificent  valley  of  the 
Danube.  In  the  distance  loomed  up  grand  old 
St.  Stephen.  But,  alas!  the  city  was  surrounded, 
and  the  valley  filled  with  six  hundred  thousand 
warriors.  These  men  were  semi-barbarians : 
Turkey,  Persia,  Arabia,  and  the  remotest  part  of 
Asia  had  contributed  to  this  army.  Breeches  in 
the  wall,  they  could  see,  had  already  been  made. 
Cheers  and  shouts  of  the  beleaguered  host  could  be 


The  Rise  and  Fall  of  the  Polish  Republic.          329 

distinctly  heard.  It  was  indeed  a  sight  most 
appalling  to  all  except  the  stoutest  heart. 

Shortly  after  daylight  the  Duke  of  Lorraine 
came  to  the  camp  of  our  king  and  begged  him  to 
retreat,  declaring  the  Mohammedan  army  would 
devour  our  army,  that  it  would  be  madness  to 
attack  them,  and  it  would  be  courting  destruction. 

The  answer  of  our  king  was:  "I  shall  attack 
them  this  day.  I  know  their  army  is  a  mighty  one 
and  their  leader  is  supposed  to  be  a  man  of  great 
ability;  but  a  leader  who  permitted  us  unopposed 
to  cross  the  Danube  right  under  his  nose,  a  soldier 
who  has  been  here  for  two  months  and  has  never 
intrenched  himself,  and  who  has  disposed  of  his 
army  about  the  city  in  such  utter  disregard,  has 
neither  sense,  prudence,  nor  science.  It  shows 
that  his  reputation  is  greater  than  his  merits.  I 
shall  attack  them  this  day,  and  before  the  sun  goes 
down  that  army  will  be  fleeing  before  my  face." 

The  duke  returned  to  his  camp,  only  to  return 
an  hour  afterward  with  the  announcement  that 
his  men  had  mutinied,  declaring  that  they  would 
not  be  marched  out  to  a  useless  slaughter,  and 
begged  of  our  king  to  come  down  and  address  his 
soldiers. 

It  is  said  by  the  historians  that  our  king  was 
the  handsomest  man  of  his  day;  and  judging  by 
the  pictures  I  have  seen  of  him,  as  well  as  descrip- 
tions I  have  read,  I  think  this  might  have  been  the 


33°          The  Rise  and  Fall  of  the  Polish  Republic. 

case.  Something  over  six  feet  tall,  with  a  high 
forehead,  an  abundance  of  black  curly  hair,  and 
large,  flashing  black  eyes,  he  was  indeed  a  man  of 
imposing  appearance.  His  education  was  com- 
plete. He  could  speak  fluently  every  language  of 
Europe. 

He  immediately  went  down  to  the  camp  of  the 
Germans  and  addressed  them.  He  said:  "Soldiers 
of  Germany,  we  are  to  fight  a  battle  to-day,  not 
for  despoliation  or  plunder,  but  a  battle  for  the 
Cross.  While  we  contend  with  an  army  apparently 
s.o  overwhelming  in  numbers,  yet  encamped  around, 
about,  and  above  us  are  the  invisible  hosts  of  Heav- 
en, who  will  bring  confusion  to  the  foe  and  victory 
to  our  arms.  This  day,  by  the  blessing  of 
Almighty  God  and  the  Christian's  Christ  and 
Redeemer,  we  are  to  crush  yonder  exultant  foe,  and 
write  such  a  page  in  the  world's  history  that  will 
cause  mankind  to  glorify  the  Cross  in  all  ages  to 
come."  And  pointing  to  the  city,  he  exclaimed: 
"While  the  garrison  of  yonder  city  is  bravely 
defending  it,  the  mothers  and  daughters  are 
engaged  in  prayer  in  our  behalf." 

When  he  closed  his  oration  the  sturdy  sons  of 
Germany  shouted:  "Let  the  King  of  Poland  lead 
us:  we'll  follow  him  to  victory  or  to  death." 

Returning  to  his  camp,  he  began  preparation 
for  action.  Mass  was  said,  and  then  it  was  custo- 
mary in  those  days  to  have  a  battle-cry  to  shout  on 


The  Rise  and  Fall  of  the  Polish  Republic.          331 

going  forth  to  battle  ;  so  our  pious  king  gave  to 
his  men,  these  words  of  the  psalmist:  "Not  unto 
us,  but  unto  Thee  be  the  glory." 

At  eleven  o'clock  they  began  to  descend  into 
the  valley.  At  one  o'clock  they  had  reached  the 
valley,  where  they  met  a  part  of  the  Mohammed- 
an army,  which  had  been  sent  to  oppose  their 
progress;  and  after  a  short  engagement  defeated 
them,  and  sent  them  scampering  back  upon  their 
main  lines. 

At  four  o'clock  the  line  of  battle  for  a  general 
engagement  was  formed.  Our  king  placed  the 
German  troops  on  the  right,  giving  them  the  post 
of  honor;  in  the  centre  he  placed  his  own  infantry; 
upon  the  left  and  flanking,  his  magnificent  cavalry. 
This  cavalry  was  a  most  brilliant  body  of  men  : 
every  man  of  them  was  a  knight,  commanded 
by  the  king  in  person,  the  most  knightly  man  of 
that  age  or  any  other  age.  Thus,  ladies  and 
gentlemen,  you  have  the  picture. 

September  12th,  1683,  at  four  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon,  these  two  great  systems  of  religion, 
the  followers  of  Jesus  on  one  hand, and  the  followers 
of  Mohammed  on  the  other,  after  seven  hundred 
years  of  almost  constant  conflict,  confronted  each 
other  upon  the  field  of  battle  for  the  last  time 
as  foes.  Doubtless  what  assisted  the  Christian 
army  that  day  was  a  peculiar  incident.  The 
Mohammedans  did  not  understand  the  signs  of 


33 2          The  Rise  and  Fall  of  the  Polish  Republic. 

astronomy,  and  had  ever  regarded  an  eclipse  to  be 
the  wrath  of  Heaven.  Just  as  the  Christian  army 
moved  forward  to  attack,  a  total  eclipse  of  the  sun 
set  in.  The  presence  of  our  king  had  been 
denied  by  the  Mohammedan  commander  to  his 
men,  for  the  name  of  Poland's  king  was  a  terror  to 
Mohammedans  everywhere.  But  now  when  he 
came  blazing  out  at  the  head  of  his  magnificent 
staff  and  cavalry,  his  presence  could  no  longer  be 
denied.  And  the  word  went  through  the 
Mohammedan  ranks:  "  By  Allah,  the  king  is  with 
them." 

"Aye,"     said  the  Kham  of  the  Crimea,    "see 
the  awful  black  spot  is  approaching  the  sun." 

Just  at  that  moment  the  seventy  thousand 
Christian  soldiers  moved  forward  to  attack.  All 
were  shouting:  "Not  unto  us,  not  unto  us,  but 
unto  Thee  be  the  glory."  And  they  fell  upon  that 
army,  eight  times  their  number,  with  the  power  of 
an  avalanche  ;  and  in  two  hours  time  they  crushed 
it  completely,  scattering  it  like  chaff  before  the 
wind.  The  Mohammedans,  in  their  dismay,  as  they 
fled  left  behind  them  their  camp,  their  equipage, 
their  gold,  their  precious  stones,  their  carriages, 
their  chariots,  their  horses  and  elephants — every- 
thing that  they  had  brought  with  them  to  make 
their  entrance  into  Rome  brilliant  and  imposing; 
never  stopping  until  the  borders  of  Hungary  were 
reached. 


The  Rise  and  Fall  of  the  Polish  Republic.          333 

The  next  morning  the  Christian  army  entered 
the  city  through  the  very  gaps  in  the  wall 
through  which  the  Mohammedans  would  have 
marched  that  same  morning,  had  it  not  been  for 
the  arrival  of  Sobieski's  army.  They  marched  to 
the  Cathedral  of  St.  Stephen,  where  they  all  bowed 
in  prayer.  Then  our  king  entered  the  church  and 
led  in  chanting^  the  song  of  victory,  the  Te  Deum. 
The  archbishop  proceeded  to  the  outer  porch  of 
the  cathedral,  where*  he  preached  to  two  hundred 
thousand  people  there  gathered,  taking  for  his  text 
these  words:  ''There  was  a  man  sent  from  God, 
whose  name  was  John." 

A  hundred  years  passes  away,  when  an  army 
marches  out  from  this  same  city  with  their  faces 
turned  toward  Poland.  Do  they  go  for  the  pur- 
pose of  paying  back  this  debt?  No:  they  go  for 
the  purpose  of  joining  with  the  armies  of  Russia 
and  Prussia  to  wipe  from  the  map  of  the  world  the 
nation  that  had  saved  them.  No  wonder  that 
Voltaire  said  in  speaking  of  it,  that  "God  only 
permitted  the  damning  deed,  that  he  might  show 
to  the  world  what  kings  were  made  out  of." 

We  now  pass  on  through  a  hundred  years,  and 
we  come  to  the  event  that  led  to  the  overthrow  of 
the  republic.  The  absurd  constitution  largely 
contributed;  a  weak,  drunken,  dissipating  king 
was  another  contributing  cause  ;  and,  worst  of  all, 
Frederick  the  Great  was  the  king  of  Prussia. 


334          The  Rise  and  Fall  of  the  Polish  Republic. 

I  'hardly  know  how  to  speak  of  this  monarch. 
When  I  think  of  his  genius,  I  feel  I  could  almost 
fall  down  and  worship  him.  Greater  than  Napo- 
leon, greater  than  Hannibal,  in  my  opinion,  was 
this  marvelous  man.  We  see  him  when  he  came 
to  the  kingship  of  Prussia,  then  a  little,  insignificant 
power,  and  yet,  when  in  the  Seven  Years'  War  two- 
thirds  of  Europe,  numbering  a  hundred  and  twenty 
millions  of  people,  banded  against  him,  he  fought 
them  for  seven  years,  and  beat  them  in  the  end. 

Yet,  when  I  turn  from  his  genius  and  contem- 
plate his  character,  I  shrink  from  him  as  I  would 
from  a  leper.  If  in  all  the  seventy  years  of  his  life 
he  ever  did  a  good  deed,  if  he  ever  had  a  good 
thought,  I  have  failed  to  find  record  of  it. 

About  the  first  act  of  his  so-called  glorious 
reign  was  to  rob  Austria  of  one  of  her  finest  prov- 
inces. This  had  led  to  seven  years  of  war.  Now, 
old  and  about  to  die,  he  wished  to  conciliate 
Austria  before  passing  off  the  stage  of  action.  So 
he  sent  a  deputation  to  Vienna,  proposing  the  par- 
tition of  Poland ;  guaranteeing  to  Austria  a  valu- 
able province,  much  more  valuable  than  the  one 
he  had  wrested  from  her.  After  some  hesitation 
it  was  acceded  to.  Then  the  question  arose,  how 
will  Russia  regard  it?  So  they  sent  a  deputation 
down  to  St.  Petersburg. 

Catherine  the  Second  was  the  empress  of 
Russia.  All  I  have  said  in  regard  to  Frederick 


The  Rise  and  Fall  of  the  Polish  Republic.          335 

the  Great,  I  can  apply  to  this  wonderful  woman. 
In  ability  she  has  never  had  her  equal  upon  the 
Russian  throne;  and  in  my  opinion  but  few  among 
the  world's  great  sovereigns  have  equaled  this 
remarkable  woman.  But  in  character  she  was  just 
as  depraved  as  Frederick  the  Great.  Why  God 
in  his  loving  mercy  permitted  two  such  sovereigns 
to  reign  at  the  same  time,  I  cannot  understand. 

When  the  proposition  was  made  to  her,  she  said 
she  would  consent  to  it  on  this  condition:  that  she 
was  to  have  a  territory  as  large  as  both  of  theirs 
put  together.  This  was  consented  to,  and  they 
joined  their  armies  together  and  entered  Poland 
and  robbed  her  of  more  than  one  third  of  her  ter- 
ritory, while  our  miserable  king  never  raised  his 
arms  to  defend  his  country. 

About  this  time  the  American  Revolution 
occurred,  and  there  came  to  these  shores  tivo  sons 
of  Poland.  One,  the  young  and  gifted  Pulaski, 
whose  services  were  so  eminent,  whose  death  so 
sad,  and  yet  glorious,  while  leading  the  soldiers  of 
the  Colonies  at  Savannah;  where  since  a  grateful 
nation  has  erected  upon  the  spot  which  drank  up 
his  rich  blood,  a  monument  that  will  exist  as  long 
as  your  hills  remain,  to  testify  the  appreciation  and 
love  of  a  free  people  for  one  who  died  for  their 
liberty. 

But  of  the  other  I  love  to  speak  the  most.  Of 
all  the  sons  of  Poland,  he  was  the  most  illustrious. 


336          The  Rise  and  Fall  of  the  Polish  Republic. 

I  have  not  language  fit  to  describe  him.  The  only 
thing  I  can  do  is  what  we  always  do  in  describing 
those  who  are  especially  endowed  with  patriotism, 
virtue,  and  honor;  and  when  we  wish  to  put  the 
capstone  on,  we  say  this,  and  this  is  enough:  "He 
was  our  Washington."  Of  course  I  refer  to 
Kosciusko.  Coming  to  this  country,  joining  the 
army  of  Washington,  becoming  his  chief  of  staff, 
for  six  years  he  associated  with  that  great  charac- 
ter; became  so  imbued  with  his  spirit  that  when 
he  returned  to  Poland  he  entered  upon  the  work 
of  reform  in  his  own  country.  He  entered  the 
Assembly,  he  moved  a  revision  in  the  constitution 
by  striking  out  all  those  absurd  features  I  have 
mentioned ;  and  what  I  think  was  better  than 
everything  else,  he  provided  that  when  the  sun 
should  rise  on  the  first  day  of  January,  that  the 
shackles  should  fall  from  every  serf,  and  from  that 
moment  every  son  of  Poland  should  stand  free 
before  the  law. 

This  was  accepted  by  the  Polish  people,  but 
it  came  just  at  the  period  of  the  French  Revolution; 
and  the  surrounding  nations  declared  that  they 
could  see  germs  of  republicanism  that  endangered 
their  own  integrity.  So  again  they  divided  Poland, 
still  our  king  not  resisting.  Now  the  time  had 
come  for  Kosciusko  to  act ;  so  he  issued  his  proc- 
lamation, calling  upon  Poland's  sons  to  rally  to 
the  standard  of  the  country  and  drive  the  foul 


The  Rise  and  Fall  of  the  Polish  Republic.          337 

invaders  from  her  soil.  Now  began  the  grandest 
and  the  most  terrific  struggle  for  freedom  the  world 
has  ever  seen.  There  could  be  but  one  ending 
of  this  unequal  combat,  and  it  came  at  last.  In 
that  awful  night  of  death,  where  thirty  thousand 
women  and  children  were  massacred  by  the 
German  troops,  amid  the  shouting  of  murderous 
soldiers  and  the  shrieking  of  dying  women  and 
children,  the  Republic  of  Poland,  after  two  hundred 
years  of  existence,  passed  forever  from  the  view  of 
man. 

About  this  time  Napoleon  was  forging  to  the 
front,  and  the  sons  of  Poland  looked  to  him  as 
one  who  would  lead  them  out  to  victory.  So 
they  gathered  around  his  standard,  more  than  one 
hundred  thousand,  under  the  chivalrous  and 
knightly  Poniatowski,  and  in  all  the  campaigns  of 
Napoleon,  in  Italy,  in  Germany,  even  in  Russia, 
they  followed  him.  When  the  men  whom  Napo- 
leon had  taken  from  the  ranks  and  had  made  mar- 
shals, dukes,  princes,  and  kings,  had  deserted  him, 
these  sons  of  Poland  remained  true  and  loyal 
until  the  last  hour  of  Waterloo. 

When  the  Congress  assembled  at  Vienna  in 
1815,  England  lost  her  fine  opportunity.  England 
was  the  mistress  of  the  world  in  1815.  It  had 
been  England's  pluck,  England's  courage,  that 
had  conquered  the  great  Napoleon  and  chained 
him  as  a  prisoner  to  that  lone  rock  in  the  sea. 


338          The  Rise  and  Fall  of  the  Polish  Republic. 

The  Congress  assembled  at  Vienna  for  the 
avowed  purpose  of  readjusting  the  map  of  Europe. 
Now,  if  England  had  only  been  wise,  and  said 
through  her  representative  in  that  assembly:  "We 
have  met  here  for  the  purpose  of  readjusting  the 
map  of  Europe.  Let  us  do  it  in  such  a  way  that 
mankind  can  never  doubt  our  honesty  :  let  us  begin 
by  restoring  Poland."  If  she  had  done  so,  how 
different  would  be  her  position  to-day,  trembling 
as  she  is  before  the  power  of  Russia,  knowing  that 
sooner  or  later  she  must  measure  swords  with  her, 
with  the  result  so  doubtful.  Ah  !  if  England  had 
only  been  wise  then,  she,  and  not  Russia,  would  be 
mistress  of  the  East.  But  apparently  desiring  to 
apologize  to  the  world,  they  took  about  one-third 
of  what  originally  constituted  Poland,  erected 
that  into  what  they  were  pleased  to  call  the 
Kingdom  of  Poland,  and  declared  that  she  should 
have  a  constitution  of  her  own  and  a  diet  of  her 
own,  that  the  emperor  of  Russia  should  be  the 
king  of  Poland,  and  that  he  should  go  to  Warsaw 
and  should  there  take  the  oath  of  fidelity  to  the 
constitution.  These  were  splendid  guarantees, 
but  were  never  respected  or  complied  with. 

Fifteen  years  pass  and  we  come  to  the  uprising 
of  1830.  A  hundred  young  men,  students  of  the 
university,  had  entered  into  a  covenant  that  they 
would  dedicate  their  lives  to  the  regeneration  of 
Poland.  Coming  into  their  quarters  one  night, 


The  Rise  and  Fall  of  the  Polish  Republic.          339 

they  learned  that  the  next  morning  they  would  all 
be  seized  and  hurried  to  Siberia.  Then  these 
young  men  resolved  that  they  would  give  their 
lives  as  costly  as  possible.  They  immediately 
came  out  of  their  quarters  and  proceeded  to  the 
barracks,  where  three  thousand  Polish  troops  were 
quartered.  Arriving  there,  they  shouted:  "Down 
with  the  standard  of  Russia,  and  up  with  the  stand- 
ard of  Poland." 

The  troops  fraternized  with  them.  They  then 
marched  up  into  the  city,  shouting:  "Women  to 
homes,  and  men  to  arms;"  and  within  six  hours 
from  the  time  that  those  young  men  first  raised 
their  shout  of  defiance,  a  battle  had  been  fought, 
a  brilliant  victory  had  been  won,  and  the  viceroy 
and  Russians  had  been  expelled  from  Warsaw. 

When  the  sun  rose  the  next  morning  and 
looked  down  upon  that  city,  what  a  sight  greeted 
it !  Only  twelve  hours  before  it  had  gone  down 
upon  a  people  apparently  sleeping  in  the  embrace 
of  death.  Now  it  was  greeted  by  a  hundred  thou- 
sand men  and  women,  marching  through  the 
streets,  singing  their  patriotic  songs,  and  waving 
their  national  flag.  It  was  not  a  nation  born  in  a 
day,  but  a  nation  resurrected  in  a  night. 

But  the  patriots  made  a  mistake  right  at  the 
beginning,  by  listening  to  the  counsel  of  the  con- 
servatives. The  conservatives  advised  them  not 
to  strike  then,  or  rather,  not  to  follow  up  the  sue- 


340          The  Rise  and  Fall  of  the  Polish  Republic. 

i 

cesses  already  won,  until  they  first  appealed  to  the 
sovereigns  of  Europe  and  reminded  them  of  their 
guarantees  at  Vienna ;  and  to  appeal  to  their 
knightly  honor  to  do  justice  to  Poland;  just  as 
though  any  sovereigns  ever  had  any  knightly 
honor.  There  has  never  been  a  case  of  it  since 
the  days  of  Nimrod,  clean  down  to  that  last  poor 
remnant  of  royalty  that  is  floating  around  some- 
where, the  ex-Queen  of  the  Hawaiian  Islands.  But 
of  course  an  appeal  to  wait  is  always  a  taking  one, 
and  the  appeal  was  an  eloquent  one.  It  spoke  of 
the  past  glories  of  Poland  ;  it  reminded  them  of  the 
seven  hundred  years  that  Poland  had  stood  as  a 
protector  of  Europe  against  the  powers  of  Moham- 
med ;  reminded  them  of  Vienna,  when  all  Europe 
was  in  dismay ;  how  Poland's  king  and  Poland's 
armies  had  saved  Europe  from  Mohammedan  con- 
quest ;  reminded  them  of  the  damning  deed  by 
which  it  had  originally  been  stricken  from  the  map 
of  the  world ;  reminded  them  of  their  guarantees 
but  fifteen  years  before;  and  now  appealed  to  them 
that  they  would  deal  justly  with  Poland.  But 
alas !  alas  !  or  rather  in  the  language  of  Campbell 
the  poet : 

"France  was  under  the  Bourbon  thrall; 

And  the  rest  of  Europe  had  no  soul  at  all.7' 

So  Poland  learned  that  alone  she  must  fight  her 
own  battles. 


The  Rise  and  Fall  of  the  Polish  Republic.          341 

In  this  lecture  I  will  only  describe  the  great 
battle  of  that  uprising,  the  battle  of  Warsaw.  It 
was  fought  on  February  25th,  1831.  The  Russian 
army  numbered  one  hundred  and  forty-five  thou- 
sand infantry,  sixty-seven  thousand  cavalry,  and 
three  hundred  pieces  of  artillery ;  while  the 
Polish  army  numbered  but  forty-five  thousand  all 
told,  not  one-half  of  them  properly  armed,  and 
with  but  twelve  pieces  of  artillery.  Yet,  in  a 
battle  of  twelve  hours  they  utterly  defeated  the 
mighty  host  of  Russia,  showing  how  mighty  are 
men  who  fight  for  liberty,  as  against  those  who 
fight  for  despotism. 

In  the  morning,  just  before  the  battle  opened, 
the  commander  found  that  they  were  short  of 
ammunition,  and  the  men  were  instructed  to  make 
all  of  their  powder  and  lead  tell.  A  regiment  of 
students — twelve  hundred,  students  of  the  Univer- 
sity of  Warsaw — commanded  by  my  uncle,  himself 
a  student,  answering  for  his  men,  said  :  "Others 
can  have  our  ammunition."  They  discarded  their 
pieces  and  drew  spears  instead,  and  in  that  battle 
of  twelve  hours  they  constantly  charged  and 
charged  .and  charged.  And  when  night  came,  out 
of  twelve  hundred  that  the  morning  sun  had  found 
so  warm,  brave,  and  grand,  but  twenty  remained 
alive.  The  others  had  gone  down  with  their  faces 
to  the  foe,  dying  so  nobly,  that  Poland  might  be 
free.  A  grander  exhibition  of  devotion  the  world 


342          The  Rise  and  Fall  of  the  Polish  Republic. 

has  never  seen,  not  even  excepting  the  ancient 
Spartans. 

The  battle  opened  at  five  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing by  the  Russian  right  of  sixty  thousand  attack- 
ing the  Polish  left  of  ten  thousand.  At  ten  o'clock 
the  Russian  commander,  seeing  he  was  getting 
the  worst  of  it,  ordered  the  attack  along  the  whole 
line;  and  from  ten  o'clock  until  four  o'clock 
those  sons  of  the  North  struggled  for  the  mastery. 
Just  as  the  sun  was  sinking  in  the  west  the  Russian 
troops  had  been  driven  from  the  field  and  com- 
pelled to  take  shelter  in  the  forest  beyond. 
Wishing  to  draw  them  out  where  they  could  get  a 
better  opportunity  to  attack  them  again,  the  Polish 
commander  feigned  a  retreat.  The  feint  was  a 
success. 

The  Russian  commander,  drawing  out  his 
watch,  said:  "After  this  day  of  blood  and  of 
horror,  I  will  take  supper  to-night  in  the  palace  of 
Villanow." 

He  now  ordered  his  troops  to  advance  again, 
and  when  they  reached  the  open  field  they  were 
again  unexpectedly  attacked,  and  the  attack  was 
so  fierce  that  the  Russian  troops  became  panic- 
stricken,  and  fled  from  the  field.  But  that  night 
when  the  remnant  of  the  Polish  army  re-entered 
the  city,  out  of  forty-five  thousand  that  the  army 
had  been  composed  of  in  the  morning,  less  than 
eight  thousand  remained. 


The  Rise  and  Fall  of  the  Polish  Republic.          343 

But  after  a  few  more  battles,  in  which  the  Polish 
patriots  showed  unparalleled  bravery  and  devotion 
to  their  country,  the  inevitable  came,  and  again 
Poland  found  herself  at  the  mercy  of  the  nineteenth 
century.  Nicholas  the  First  of  Russia  now  began 
acts  of  oppression  that  the  world  shuddered  at 
as  it  contemplated  them.  When  the  slaves  in 
the  reign  of  Nero  arose  in  rebellion  after  their 
suppression,  he  executed  three  thousand  of 
them,  and  that  shocked  the  whole  Christian 
world.  But  Nicholas  the  First  of  Russia  executed 
more  than  twelve  thousand.  There  was  hardly 
a  day  of  that  awful  month  of  November,  and 
hardly  a  town  in  that  unfortunate  country,  but 
men  whose  only  crime  had  been  that  they  had  tried 
to  make  their  country  free,  could  be  seen  marching 
forth  to  die  upon  the  scaffold. 

We  pass  on  now  for  fifteen  years,  and  come  to 
the  uprising  of  1846.  It  was  intended  as  a  part  of 
the  great  uprising  which  took  place  two  years 
afterward  throughout  all  of  Europe;  but  the 
spies  of  Russia  precipitated  the  contest:  so  it  was 
not  a  great  uprising,  but  it  was  a  brave  one.  In 
the  last  battle  of  that  contest,  my  father,  wounded, 
was  taken  prisoner,  and  conveyed  to  the  prison 
near  Warsaw,  where  he  was  afterward  executed. 

We  will  now  pass  on  until  1863.  Again 
Poland's  sons  made  a  strike  for  liberty.  An 
address  was  issued  to  the  entire  civilized  world, 


344          The  Rise  and  Fall  of  the  Polish  Republic. 

asking  for  their  sympathy  and  support.  But  of  all 
the  powers  of  Europe,  Napoleon  the  Third  of 
France  alone  showed  any  disposition  of  sympathy, 
and  the  result  was  as  in  preceding  struggles, — an 
exhibition  of  wonderful  heroism  and  sacrifice, — 
but  the  ending  was  the  same.  Poland,  bleeding 
and  crushed,  lay  again  at  the  feet  of  Russia.  A 
decree  was  now  issued,  which  wiped  the  very 
name  of  Poland  from  the  map  of  Europe:  even  the 
viceroyship  was  abolished,  and  Poland  was  com- 
pletely absorbed  as  a  part  of  the  great  empire  of 
Russia. 

I  am  often  asked,  "What  is  the  condition  of 
Poland  to-day  ?" 

I  answer,  most  deplorable. 

As  an  illustration  of  this,  I  will  give  an  incident 
which  occurred  a  few  years  ago  at  the  house  of  one 
of  the  nobles  in  Warsaw.  There  was  a  party  one 
evening  at  this  house.  A  young  lady  of  sixteen 
went  up  to  the  piano  and  dashed  off  a  prohibited 
national  air.  As  soon  as  the  attention  of  the  com- 
pany was  called  to  it,  she  was  stopped  and  chided, 
as  they  knew,  however  small  the  party,  the  Russian 
spy  would  not  be  far  away. 

The  next  morning  before  she  had  risen  from 
her  bed,  a  detachment  of  soldiers  entered,  batter- 
ing down  the  door  of  her  room.  She  was  ordered 
to  arise  and  dress  herself  and  follow  them  ;  and  was 
compelled  to  dress  herself  in  the  presence  of  the 


The  Rise  and  Fall  of  the  Polish  Republic.          345 

brutal  soldiers,  and  barely  time  for  that.  She  was 
conveyed  before  a  Russian  magistrate,  and  this 
crime  I  have  given  was  computed  against  her.  She 
confessed  the  fault  and  pleaded  for  mercy,  and  her 
plea  was  supplemented  by  that  oi  her  mother.  The 
old  Russian  magistrate  said,  in  consideration  of  her 
extreme  youth,  and  as  this  was  her  first  offense,  he 
would  deal  leniently  with  her ;  but  warned  her 
against  a  repetition.  He  ordered  her  to  be  taken 
to  the  guard-house  and  kept  there  till  high  noon, 
and  then  to  be  taken  to  the  market-place,  and  there 
be  stripped  to  the  waist  and  receive  upon  her  bare 
back  the  lash  of  the  knout  thirty  times,  from  the 
effects  of  which  she  died  some  days  afterward;  and 
for  this  act  the  magistrate  was  complimented  by 
the  emperor,  and  promoted. 

And  the  question  is  often  asked:  "  But  are 
there  not  hopes  for  the  future,  as  Russia  advances 
in  Christian  civilization?" 

There  can  be  no  improvement  until  there  first 
comes  such  a  gigantic  upheaval,  that  the  upheaval 
in  France  during  the  days  of  the  Revolution  will  be 
mildness  in  comparison. 

How  wonderfully  interesting  is  the  struggle  of 
mankind  for  liberty,  beginning  way  back  there 
when  Jesus  said  to  his  disciples :  "  Ye  are  men  and 
brethren."  That's  the  first  we  get  anywhere  of 
the  enunciation  of  that  great  principle  of  the 
Fatherhood  of  God  and  the  brotherhood  of  man. 


346          The  Rise  and  Fall  of  the  Polish  Republic. 

Of  all  the  words  spoken  by  the  great  Nazarene, 
none  have  proved  mightier  than  that  utterance. 
From  that  moment  to  this  there  has  never  been 
a  moment  when  the  idea  of  liberty  has  ever  quitted 
the  heart  or  the  brain  of  man.  Down  through  the 
dark  ages  this  idea  of  liberty  constantly  flashes 
out  like  sparks  of  electricity  in  the  awful  gloom  of 
those  days,  until  we  see  the  yeomen  of  England, 
led  on  by  their  barons,  wringing  from  King  John 
the  Great  Charter ;  again  in  the  establishment  of 
the  Polish  Republic  we  see  this  principle  largely 
recognized;  the  next  in  the  English  Revolution, 
when  the  grand  old  Cromwell  brought  the  head  of 
the  tyrant  Charles  to  the  block,  and  taught  the 
world  a  lesson  that  it  has  never  forgotten — that 
tyrants  should  never  rule  with  impunity. 

From  this  time  the  idea  of  liberty  now  grew 
grandly  apace.  Next  it  blazed  out  in  beauty  and 
glory  on  the  borders  of  the  American  forests,  when 
the  great  Jefferson,  writing  with  the  pen  of  inspi- 
ration, wrote:  "We  hold  this  truth  to  be  self- 
evident:  that  all  men  are  created  equal."  This  prin- 
ciple, vindicated  in  the  success  of  the  American 
Revolution,  vindicated  in  the  establishment  of  this 
republic  upon  that  idea,  then  leaped  across  the 
water  to  the  old  world.  Then  began  the  struggle  of 
a  century  for  liberty.  Battles  have  been  fought, 
victories  have  been  won,  reverses  have  been 
suffered,  but  still  this  idea  of  liberty  goes  on;  and 


The  Rise  and  Fall  of  the  Polish  Republic.          347 

it  will  go  on  until  that  great  utterance  of  the 
Master  is  fully  realized,  and  believed  in  by  men. 
Then  men  will  understand  that  there  is  no  such 
thing  as  race  or  nationality  ;  that  we  all  belong 
to  one  great  family,  having  the  same  origin  and 
bound  for  the  same  destiny.  When  that  blessed 
day  shall  come,  then  crowns  and  thrones  will  be  a 
thing  of  the  past;  wars  will  cease  from  off  the  face 
of  the  earth  ;  then  will  come  the  blessed  day  of 
peace,  liberty,  and  fraternity. 


348  A  Brief  History  of  Poland. 


A  BRIEF  HISTORY  OF  POLAND. 

[Extract  from  The   International   Encyclopedia. — Dodd,   Mead  &    Co., 
New  York  City.] 

Poland,  called  by  the  natives  Polska  (a  plain), 
a  former  kingdom  of  Europe — renowned  in  medi- 
eval history  as  the  sole  champion  of  Christendom 
against  the  Turks  ;  and,  till  recently,  an  object  of 
general  and  profound  sympathy  throughout  West- 
ern Europe,  from  its  unprecedented  misfortunes — 
was,  immediately  previous  to  its  dismemberment, 
bounded  on  the  north  by  the  Baltic  Sea  from 
Dantzic  to  Riga,  and  by  the  Russian  Provinces  of 
Riga  and  Pskov ;  on  the  east  by  the  Russian 
Provinces  of  Smolensk,  Tchernigov,  Poltava,  and 
Kherson  ;  on  the  south  by  Bessarabia,  Moldavia, 
and  the  Carpathian  Mountains ;  on  the  west  by  the 
Prussian  Provinces  of  Silesia,  Brandenburg  and 
Pomerania.  Its  greatest  length  from '  north  to 
south  was  seven  hundred  and  thirteen  English 
miles;  and  from  east  to  west  six  hundred  and 
ninety-three  miles;  an  area  which  in  1880  had  a 
population  of  24,000,000.  This  extensive  tract 
forms  a  part  of  the  great  central  European  plain, 
and  is  crossed  by  only  one  range  of  hills,  forming 
the  watershed  between  the  Baltic  and  the  Black 
Sea  rivers.  The  soil  is  mostly  a  light  fertile  loam, 


A  Brief  History  of  Poland.  349 

well  adapted  for  the  cereal  crops,  though  here  and 
there  occur  extensive  barren  tracts  of  sand,  heath, 
and  swamp,  especially  in  the  eastern  districts. 
Much  of  the  fertileland  is  permanent  pasture,  which 
is  of  the  richest  quality  ;  and  much  is  occupied  with 
extensive  forests  of  pine,  birch,  oak,  etc.  Rye, 
wheat,  barley,  and  other  cereals,  hemp,  wood  and 
its  products,  honey  and  wax,  cattle,  sheep,  and 
horses,  inexhaustible  mines  of  salt,  and  a  little 
silver,  iron,  copper,  and  lead,  constitute  the  chief 
natural  riches  of  the  country. 

The  kingdom  of  -Poland,  during  the  period  of 
its  greatest  extent,  after  the  accession  of  the  grand- 
duchy  of  Lithuania  in  the  beginning  of  the 
fifteenth  century,  was  subdivided  for  purposes  of 
government  into  about  forty  palatinates,  which 
were  mostly  governed  by  hereditary  chiefs.  The 
people  were  divided  into  two  great  classes — nobles 
and  serfs.  The  noble  class,  which  was  the  govern- 
ing and  privileged  class,  included  the  higher  nobles, 
the  inferior  nobles  (a  numerous  class,  correspond- 
ing to  the  knights,  gentry,  etc.,  of  other  countries), 
and  the  clergy,  and  numbered  in  all  more  than 
200,000;  the  serfs  were  the  merchants,  tradesmen, 
and  agriculturists,  and  were  attached,  not,  as  in 
other  countries,  to  masters,  but  to  the  soil.  The 
serfs  were  thus  much  less  liable  to  ill-usage,  and 
retained  more  of  human  energy  and  dignity  than 
the  generality  of  slaves.  The  nobles  were  the  pro- 


350  A  Brief  History  of  Poland. 

prietors  of  the  soil,  and  appropriated  the  larger 
portion  of  its  products,  the  serfs  in  many  cases 
receiving  only  as  much  as  was  necessary  for  the  sup- 
port of  themselves  and  their  families.  The  nobles 
were  chivalrous,  high-spirited,  hospitable,  and 
patriotic  ;  the  serfs,  who  had  also  a  stake,  though 
a  small  one,  in  the  independence  of  the  country, 
were  patriotic  and  good-natured,  but  sluggish. 

The  present  population  of  the  provinces  in- 
cluded in  the  Poland  of  former  days,  consists  of 
Poles,  Lithuanians,  Germans,  Jews,  Russians, 
Roumanians,  gipsies,  etc.  The  Poles,  who  num- 
ber 15,600,000,  form  the  bulk  of  the  population; 
the  Lithuanians,  2,100,000  in  number,  inhabit  the 
north-east  part  of  the  country ;  the  Germans,  of 
whom  there  are  2,000,000,  live  mostly  in  towns 
and  in  villages  apart  by  themselves,  and  bear  the 
usual  character  for  economy,  industry,  and  that 
excessivelove  and  admiration  for  the  "Fatherland" 
which  guided  their  politics  during  the  last  days  of 
Polish  independence;  the  Jews  are  very  numerous, 
being  reckoned  at  2,200,000,  but  here  they  are 
poorer  and  less  enterprising  than  in  other 
countries ;  the  remainder  is  composed  of  Russians 
(who  are  few  in  number,  excepting  in  some  of  the 
eastern  districts),  Russian  soldiery,  Roumanians, 
gipsies,  Magyars,  etc.  Of  Roman  Catholics,  there 
are  about  9,400,000;  Greeks,  united  and  non-united, 
7,900,000 ;  Protestants  (mostly  Lutherans  and  Ger- 


A  Brief  History  of  Poland.  351 

man),  2,360,000;  the   rest   are  Jews,    Armenians, 
Moslems,  etc. 

The  Poles  are  ethnologically  a  branch  of  the 
Slays.  The  name  appears  first  in  history  as  a 
designation  of  a  tribe,  the  Polani,  who  dwelt  be- 
tween the  Oder  and  Vistula.  In  course  of  time, 
the  Polani  acquired  an  ascendency  over  the  other 
tribes,  most  of  whom  became  amalgamated  with 
the  ruling  race,  whose  name  thus  became  the  gen- 
eral designation.  Polish  historians  profess  to  go 
as  far  back  as  the  fourth  century ;  but  the  list  of 
rulers  which  they  give  are  probably  those  of  sep- 
arate tribes,  and  not  of  the  combined  race  now 
known  as  Poles. 

Ziemovicz,  said  to  be  the  second  monarch  of 
the  Piast  dynasty,  is  considered  to  be  the  first 
ruler  whose  history  is  to  any  extent  to  be  relied 
upon;  and  it  was  not  till  a  century  after,  when  his 
descendant,  Micislas  I.  (962—92),  occupied  the 
throne,  and  became  a  convert  to  Christianity-,  that 
Poland  took  rank  as  one  of  the  political  powers  of 
Europe.  Micislas  (as  was  the  general  custom 
among  the  Polish  rulers)  divided  his  dominions 
among  his  sons;  but  one  of  them,  Boleslas  I. 
(992-1025),  surnamed  "the  great,"  soon  reunited 
the  separate  portions,  and  extended  his  kingdom 
beyond  the  Oder,  the  Carpathians,  and  the 
Dniester,  and  sustained  a  successful  war  with  the 
Emperor  Henry  II.  of  Germany,  conquering 


352  A  Brief  History  of  Poland. 

Cracovia,  Moravia,  Lusatia,  and  Misnia.  Under 
him  Poland  began  to  assume  unity  and  consistency; 
commerce,  the  impartial  administration  of  justice, 
and  Christianity  were  encouraged  and  promoted ; 
and  about  the  same  time,  the  distinction  between 
the  nobles  or  warrior  class  ( those  who  were  able 
to  equip  a  horse)  and  the  agriculturists  was  dis- 
tinctly drawn.  Boleslas  was  recognized  as  "king" 
by  the  German  emperors.  After  a  period  of 
anarchy,  he  was  succeeded  by  his  son,  Casimir 
(1040-58),  whose  reign,  and  that  of  his  warlike  son, 
Boleslas  II.  (1058-81),  though  brilliant,  were  of 
little  real  profit  to  the  country. 

Boleslas  III.  (1102-39),  an  energetic  monarch, 
annexed  Pomerania,  defeated  the  pagan  Prussians, 
and  defended  Silesia  against  the  German  emperors. 
His  death  was  the  signal  for  a  contest  among 
the  various  claimants  for  the  throne,  which  was 
speedily  followed,  as  usual,  by  a  division  of  the 
country,  and  during  this  disturbance  Pomerania 
emancipated  itself  from  Polish  rule. 

The  Mongols  swept  over  the  country  in  1241, 
reducing  it  to  the  verge  of  ruin,  and  defeating  the 
Poles  in  a  great  battle  near  Wahlstatt.  From  this 
time  Poland  began  to  decline ;  various  districts 
were  ceded  to  the  markgrafs  of  Brandenburg,  while 
many  districts  began  to  be  colonized  by  Germans. 
Numbers  of  Jews,  persecuted  in  Western  Europe 
about  this  time,  took  refuge  in  Poland.  Wladislas 


A  Brief  History  of  Poland.  353 

(1305-33),  surnamed  Lokietek  (the  short),  again 
restored  unity  to  the  country,  judicial  abuses  and 
all  illegally  acquired  privileges  were  abolished,  and 
the  first  diet  (1331)  assembled  for  legislative  pur- 
poses. In  conjunction  with  Gedymin,  Grand  Duke 
of  Lithuania,  a  vigorous  war  was  carried  on  against 
the  Teutonic  Knights,  on  returning  from  which 
the  aged  monarch  (he  was  now  seventy  years  old) 
experienced  a  triumphant  reception  from  his  sub- 
jects, who  hailed  him  as  the  "father  of  his  country," 
His  son,  Casimir  III.,  the  Great  (1333-70),  greatly 
increased  the  power  and  prosperity  of  Poland  by 
cultivating  with  zeal  the  arts  of  peace,  amending 
the  laws,  and  consolidating  his  territories  by  profit- 
able exchanges  with  the  neighboring  powers. 
With  Casimir,  the  Piast  dynasty  became  extinct, 
after  a  sway  of  five  hundred  and  ten  years,  accord- 
ing to  the  old  Polish*  chroniclers.  His  nephew, 
Lewis  the  Great,  King  of  Hungary,  succeeded  him 
by  the  will  of  the  deceased  monarch  and  the  elec- 
tion of  the  diet;  but  during  his  reign,  Poland  was 
treated  merely  as  an  appanage  of  Hungary. 

Then  followed  several  other  indifferent  rulers, 
till  1506,  when  Sigismund  I.  (1506-48),  surnamed 
"the  great",  the  fourth  son  of  Casimir,  raised  the 
country  to  the  utmost  pitch  of  prosperity.  Gener- 
ous and  enlightened,  he  was  beloved  by  the  masses, 
whom  he  endeavored  to  benefit  physically  and 
mentally,  while  his  firmness  and  justness  com- 


354  A  Brief  History  of  Poland. 

manded  the  respect  of  the  turbulent  nobles.  He 
wisely  kept  aloof  from  the  religious  quarrels  which 
distracted  Western  Europe,  by  allowing  his  sub- 
jects perfect  freedom  of  choice  in  matters  of  relig- 
ion; he  was,  however,  forced  into  a  war  with 
Russia,  in  which  he  lost  Smolensk;  but  he  was 
partly  compensated  by  obtaining  lordship  over 
Moldavia.  His  son,  Sigismund  II.,  Augustus,  was 
a  successor  worthy  of  him.  During  his  reign 
many  abuses  were  rectified,  and  the  extraordinary 
privileges  of  the  higher  nobles  were  curtailed  or 
abolished;  Lithuania  was  finally  joined  indissolubly 
to  Poland,  and  from  this  time  there  was  to  be  but 
one  diet  for  the  united  realm;  each  retained,  how- 
ever, its  own  army,  titles,  treasury,  and  law. 
Lithuania  was  at  the  same  time  reduced  by  the 
annexation  of  Podlachia,  Volhynia,  and  the 
Ukraine,  to  Poland.  Livonia  was  conquered  from 
the  Knights  Sword-bearers  (a  community  similar 
to,  though  much  less  distinguished  than  the 
Teutonic  Knights)  ;  and  the  power,  prosperity  and 
and  opulence  of  the  state  seemed  to  guarantee  its 
position  as  the  most  powerful  state  in  Eastern 
Europe  for  a  long  time  to  come. 

The  population  almost  doubled  itself  under  the 
two  Sigismunds;  but  this  dynasty,  whose  sway  was 
so  happy  for  Poland,  ceased  with  them  ;  and  the 
warrior  class  having  tasted  the  sweets  of  freedom, 
determined  to  preserve  it  by  rendering  the  mon- 


A  Brief  History  of  Poland.  355 

archy  elective.  The  election  was  made  by  the  two 
chambers  of  the  diet — viz.,  the  senate,  or  chamber 
of  the  chief  nobles,  and  the  chamber  of  nuncios,  or 
representatives  of  the  inferior  nobles.  He  who  was 
chosen  king  possessed  the  right  of  assembling  the 
diet,  but  had  to  give  a  list  of  the  subjects  to  be 
discussed  ;  and  the  representatives  before  setting 
out,  were  instructed  as  to  the  side  they  were  to 
support.  The  diet  only  lasted  six  weeks,  and  its 
decisions  were  required  to  be  unanimous  ;  so  that 
if  the  liberum  veto  (the  right  of  forbidding  the  pass- 
ing of  any  measure)  were  freely  exercised  even  by 
a  single  member,  all  legislation  was  at  a  standstill. 
The  evil  effects  of  these  regulations  were  not  so 
much  felt  at  first,  as  the  members  were  character- 
ized by  honesty  and  zeal  for  the  general  good; 
but  latterly,  when  venality  and  subservience  to  the 
neighboring  powers  began  to  show  themselves, 
all  the  measures  necessary  for  protecting  Poland 
from  dependence  on  her  neighbors  were,  by  a  few 
corrupt  and  treacherous  representatives,  rendered 
of  no  avail. 

The  first  elective  monarch  was  Henry  of  Valois 
(III.  of  France),  who,  however,  soon  abandoned  the 
the  throne  for  that  of  France,  and  was  succeeded 
by  Stephen  Battory  (1575-86),  Prince  of  Transyl- 
vania, a  man  of  energy  and  talent,  who  carried  on 
war  successfully  against  the  Russians,  who  had 
attempted  to  seize  Livonia,  pursued  them  into  the 


356  A  Brief  History  of  Poland. 

very  heart  of  their  own  country,  and  compelled  the 
Czar  to  sue  for  peace;  he  also  subdued  the  semi- 
independent  Cossacks  of  the  Ukraine,  and  to  some 
degree  introduced  civilization  among  them.  His 
successor,  Sigismund  III.  (1586-1632)  who  was 
succeeded  by  his  sons,  Wladislas  IV.  (1632-48) 
and  John  Casimir  (1648-72),  was  of  the  Vasa  fam- 
ily, and  was  the  crown-prince  of  Sweden;  but  his 
election,  far  from  cementing  a  bond  of  union 
between  the  two  countries,  only  imbittered  former 
dissensions.  These  three  Swedish  monarchs  were 
most  unworthy  successors  to  Poland's  ablest  king, 
as  they  had  neither  talents  for  governing  nor  char- 
acters and  sentiments  congenial  to  a  warlike 
nation;  on  the  contrary,  their  policy  was  weak, 
tortuous,  and  vacillating.  Yet  they  were  always 
quarreling  with  their  neighbors,  declaring  war  with 
Russia,  Sweden,  or  Turkey,  in  the  most  imprudent 
and  reckless  manner.  But  the  Polish  armies, 
though  as  little  fostered  and  cared  for  as  the  other 
portions  of  the  nation,  were  everywhere  victorious; 
the  Swedish  and  Muscovite  armies  were  succes- 
sively annihilated;  Moscow  was  taken,  and  the 
Russians  reduced  to  such  an  abject  condition,  that 
they  offered  to  make  Sigismund's  son,  Wladislas, 
their  czar.  Sweden  made  a  similar  offer  to  another 
son  of  the  Polish  monarch  ;  but  the  latter's  absurd 
behavior  lost  for  Poland  this  rich  result  of  her 
great  victories;  and  the  foolish  policy  of  the  whole 


A  Brief  History  of  Poland.  357 

three  not  only  rendered  fruitless  all  the  lavish 
expenditure  of  Polish  blood  and  treasure,  but  lost 
to  the  country  many  of  her  richest  provinces,  and 
left  her  without  a  single  ally.  During  the  reign  of 
this  dynasty,  Wallachia  and  Moldavia  were 
snatched  by  the  Turks  from  under  the  Polish  pro- 
tectorate ;  Livonia,  with  Riga,  was  conquered 
(1605-21),  along  with  part  of  Prussia  (1629),  by 
Sweden ;  and  Brandenburg  established  itself  in 
complete  independence. 

In  the  reign  of  John  Casimir,  Poland  was 
attacked  simultaneously  by  Russia,  Sweden, 
Brandenburg  (the  germ  of  the  present  kingdom  of 
Prussia),  the  Transylvanians,  and  the  Cossacks ; 
the  country  was  entirely  overrun;  Warsaw,  Wilna, 
and  Lemberg  taken ;  and  the  king  compelled  to 
flee  to  Silesia.  But  the  celebrated  staff  of  Polish 
generals  was  not  yet  extinct;  Czarniecki's  sword 
was  as  the  breath  of  the  destroying  angel  to 
Poland's  enemies;  and  after  being  defeated  in 
detail,  they  were  ignominiously  expelled  from  the 
country.  But  in  the  subsequent  treaties,  Ducal  or. 
East  Prussia  was  wholly  given  up  to  Brandenburg; 
almost  all  Livonia  to  Sweden;  and  Smolensk, 
Severia  or  Tchernigov,  and  the  Ukraine  beyond 
the  Dnieper,  were  given  to  Russia.  Michael 
Wisniowiecki  (1668-74),  the  son  of  one  of  the 
group  of -famous  generals  above  alluded  to,  but 
himself  an  imbecile,  was  (contrary  to  his  own  wish 


358  A  Brief  History  of  Poland. 

— for  he  was  well  aware  of  his  own  deficiencies) 
elected  as  their  next  monarch  ;  a  war  with  Turkey, 
concluded  by  an  ignominious  peace,  was  the  chief 
event  of  his  reign.  But  the  senate  rejected  the 
shameful  treaty,  the  Polish  army  was  again  reen- 
forced,  and  the  Polish  monarch  resigned  the  com- 
mand to  John  Sobieski  the  Hetman,  and  the  Turks 
were  routed  with  great  slaughter  at  Choczim  (1673). 
After  some  dissensions  concerning  the  election  of 
a  successor,  John  (III.)  Sobieski  (1674-96)  was 
chosen;  but  his  reign,  though  it  crowned  the  Poles 
with  abundance  of  the  laurel  wreaths  of  victory, 
was  productive  of  no  good  to  the  internal  adminis- 
tration. As  Sobieski's  successor  the  Prince  of 
Conti  was  legally  elected,  and  proclaimed  king ; 
but  the  cabinet  of  Versailles  allowed  this  splendid 
opportunity  of  becoming  supreme  in  Europe  to 
escape;  and  Augustus  II.  of  Saxony,  a  protege  of 
the  House  of  Austria,  entered  Poland  at  the  head 
of  a  Saxon  army,  and  succeeded  in  obtaining  the 
throne.  Augustus,  unlike  all  his  predecessors, 
never  seemed  to  identify  his  interests  with  those  of 
his  Polish  subjects :  and  though  he  gained  their 
hearts  by  promising  to  reconquer  for  Poland  her 
lost  provinces,  yet  this  promise  was  chiefly  made 
as  an  excuse  for  keeping  his  Saxon  army  in  the 
country,  in  violation  of  the  pacta  conventa  (the 
"  magna  charta"  of  Poland).  His  war-  with  the 
Turks  restored  to  Poland  part  of  the  Ukraine  and 


A  Brief  History  of  Poland.  359 

the  fortress  of  Kaminiec ;  but  that  with  Charles 
XII.  brought  nothing  but  misfortune.  The  war 
with  Sweden  was  unpopular  in  Poland ;  in  fact, 
the  Poles  ot.the  eastern  provinces  received  Charles 
with  open  arms;  but  his  attempt  to  force  upon 
them  Stanislas  Leszynski  as  their  king  severely 
wounded  their  national  pride.  Augustus  returned 
after  the  battle  of  Poltava ;  his  rival  retired  without 
a  contest  ;  a  close  alliance  was  formed  with  Russia, 
and  the  Russian  troops  which  had  campaigned  in 
Poland  against  the  Swedes  were,  along  with  his 
Saxon  army,  retained.  The  Poles  demanded  their 
extradition,  but  in  vain  ;  and  the  Russian  cabinet 
interfered  (  1717  )  between  the  king  and  his  sub- 
jects, compelling  both  parties  to  sign  a  treaty  of 
peace.  This  was  the  commencement  of  Poland's 
dependence  on  Russia,  and  her  consequent  decline. 
By  the  instigation  of  Peter  the  Great,  the  Polish 
army  was  reduced  from  80,000  to  18,000 ;  and  the 
country  was  further  weakened  by  the  diffusion  of 
of  effeminacy,  immorality,  and  prodigality,  through 
the  evil  example  and  influence  of  the  court.  Reli- 
gious fanaticism  also  more  fully  developed  its  most 
odious  features  during  his  reign,  and  the  massacre 
of  the  Protestants  at  Thorn  .(1724)  and  the 
legalized  exclusion  of  them  from  all  public  offices 
was  the  result.  The  succeeding  reign  of  Augus- 
tus III.  (1733-63)  was  of  the  same  character;  the 
government  fell  more  and  more  under  Russian 


360  A  Brief  History  of  Poland. 

influence,  and  its  political  relations  with  other 
countries  gradually  ceased.  Toward  the  end  of 
his  reign,  the  more  enlightened  of  the  Poles,  seeing 
the  radical  defects  of  the  constitution,  the  want  of 
a  strong  central  government,  and  the  dangers  of 
the  liberum  veto,  entered  into  a  league  to  promote 
the  establishment  of  a  well-organized  hereditary 
monarchy.  But  the  Conservative  or  Republican 
party  was  equally  strong,  and  relied  on  Russian 
influence ;  and  the  conflict  between  these  parties 
became  more  imbittered  from  the  fact  that  the 
Monarchists  supported  the  Jesuits  in  disqualifying 
all  Dissenters  from  holding  public  offices,  while  the 
Republican  party  supported  the  Dissidents.  The 
Dissidents  dated  their  grievances  from  1717,  but 
the  great  conflict  between  them  and  their  opponents 
did  not  break  out  till  1763. 

The  cabinets  of  St.  Petersburg  and  Berlin  now 
(1764)  presented  to  the  Poles  Stanislas  Ponia- 
towski  as  their  king.  This  gross  insult,  intensified 
by  the  incapacity  of  Stanislas  for  such  an  office, 
could  not  be  borne  in  quiet;  the  king  and  the  Rus- 
sian ambassador  were  compelled  in  the  diet  to  listen 
to  the  most  spirited  protests  against  Russian  inter- 
ference; but  the  intense  national  spirit  of  the  Poles 
only  recoiled  upon  themselves,  for  the  Russian  am- 
bassador craftily  incited  them  to  insurrection,  and 
kept  alive  their  mutual  dissensions.  The  monarchic, 
or  Czartoryski  party  (so  called  because  it  was  headed 


A  Brief  History  of  Poland.  361 

by  a  Lithuanian  prince  of  this  name),  had  suc- 
ceeded in  abolishing  the  liberum  veto,  and  effecting 
many  other  improvements ;  but  they  at  the  same 
time  more  severely  oppressed  the  Dissidents  ;  and 
Russia,  finding  that  the  political  policy  of  this 
party  was  speedily  releasing  Poland  from  her  grasp, 
joined  the  party  of  the  Dissidents  as  the  champion 
of  religious  toleration!  Her  ambassador  caused 
the  chief  leaders  of  the  Catholic  party  to  be  secretly 
kidnapped,  and  sent  to  Siberia,  and  co'mpelled  the 
Republicans  to  accept  the  protectorate  of  Russia. 
The  "  Confederation  of  Bar"  (so  called  from 
Bar  in  Podolia)  was  now  formed  by  a  few  zealous 
patriots,  an  army  was  assembled,  and  war  declared 
against  Russia.  The  Confederates  were  supported 
by  Turkey,  which  also  declared  war  against  the 
Czarina  ;  and  Russia,  alarmed  at  the  appearance  of 
affairs,  proposed  to  the  king  and  diet  an  alliance, 
which  both  firmly  refused.  Frederick  the  Great  of 
Prussia,  who  had  formerly  gained  the  consent  of 
Austria  to  a  partition  of  Poland,  now,  in  1770, 
made  the  same  proposal  to  Russia,  and  in  1772 
the  first  partition  was  effected ;  Stanislas  and  his 
diet  claiming  the  mediation  and  assistance  of  the 
other  powers  of  Europe  without  effect.  He  was 
forced  in  the  following  year  to  convoke  a  diet  for 
the  purpose  of  recognizing  the  claims  of  the  three 
partitioning  powers  to  the  territories  they  had 
seized,  but  few  members  appeared,  and  these  pre- 


362  A  Brief  History  of  Poland. 

served  perfect  silence.     The  territories  seized  by 
the  three  powers  were  as  follows: 

Eng.  Sq.  Miles.  Population. 

Russia 42,000  1,800,000 

Prussia 13,000  416,000 

Austria 27,000  2,700,000 

The  whole  country  was  now  aroused  to  a  full 
sense  of  its  danger;  and  the  diet  of  the  diminished 
kingdom  labored  to  amend  the  constitution  and 
strengthen  •  the  administration  by  a  liberal  code 
of  laws  and  regulations,  which  gave  political 
rights  to  the  cities,  civil  rights  to  the  peas- 
antry, and  rendered  the  kingly  authority  hered- 
itary. In  this  they  were  encouraged  by  Prussia, 
whose  king,  Frederic  William,  swore  to  defend 
them  against  Russia;  but  in  1791  Catharine 
II.,  after  great  labor,  obtained  by  means  of 
intrigues  and  bribery,  the  services  of  Jive  (out  of 
200,000)  of  the  Polish  nobility,  who  protested 
against  the  new  constitution  which  had  just  (May 
3,  1791)  been  established,  and  drew  up  a  document 
at  Targowitz,  which  they  forwarded  to  the  Russian 
court.  Catharine,  thus  armed  with  a  pretext  for 
interference,  advanced  her  army,  and  Prussia 
proving  traitorous,  a  second  fruitless  resistance 
to  the  united  Prussians  and  Russians,  headed  by 
Joseph  Poniatowski  and  Kosciusko,  was  followed 
by  a  second  partition  (1793)  between  Russia  and 
Prussia,  as  follows: 


A  Brief  History  of  Poland.  363 

Eng.  Sq.  Miles.  Population. 

Russia 96,000  3,000,000 

Prussia 22,000  1,100,000 

which  the  diet  were  forced  to  sanction  at  the  point 
of  the  bayonet.  The  Poles  now  became  desperate; 
a  general  rising  took  place  (1794);  the  Prussians 
were  compelled  to  retreat  to  their  own  country, 
and  the  Russians  several  times  routed;  but  then  a 
new  enemy  appeared  on  the  scene.  Austria  was 
chagrined  at  having  taken  no  part  in  the  second 
partition,  and  was  determined  not  to  be  behind- 
hand on  this  occasion;  her  army  accordingly 
advanced,  compelling  the  Poles  to  retreat;  and 
fresh  hordes  of  Russians  arriving,  Kosciusko,  at 
the  head  of  the  last  patriot  army,  was  defeated; 
and  the  sack  of  Praga,  followed  by  the  capture  of 
Warsaw,  finally  annihilated  the  Polish  monarchy. 
The  third  and  last  partition  (1795)  distributed  the 
remainder  of  the  country  as  follows: 

Eng.  Sq.  Miles.  Population. 

Russia 43,000  1,200,000 

Prussia 21,000  1,000,000 

Austria 18,000  1,000,000 

King  Stanislas  resigned  his  crown,  and  died 
broken-hearted  at  St..  Petersburg  in  1798.  The 
subsequent  success  of  the  French  against  the 
Russians,  and  the  tempting  promises  of  the 
Emperor  Napoleon  to  reconstitute  Poland,  rallied 
round  him  a  faithful  army  of  patriots,  who  distin- 
guished themselves  in  the  campaigns  of  the  French 


364  A  Brief  History  of  Poland. 

against  Russia  and  Austria;  but  all  that  Napoleon 
accomplished  in  fulfilment  of  his  promise  was  the 
establishment,  by  the  Treaty  of  Tilsit  (1807)  of  the 
duchy  of  Warsaw,  chiefly  out  of  the  Prussian 
share  of  Poland,  with  a  liberal  constitution,  and  the 
elector  of  Saxony  at  its  head.  The  duchy  was  an 
energetic  little  state,  and  under  the  guidance  of 
Prince  Joseph  Poniatowski,  wrenched  western 
Galicia  from  Austria  (1809),  at  the  same  time 
furnishing  a  numerous  and  much-valued  contingent 
to  the  French  armies;  but  the  advance  of  the  grand 
allied  army  in  1813  put  an  end  to  its  existence. 
After  the  cessions  by  Austria  in  1809,  the  duchy 
contained  58,290  English  square  miles,  with  a 
population  of  about  4,000,000.  Dantzic  was  also 
declared  a  republic,  but  returned  to  Prussia 
(February  3,  1814). 

The  division  of  Poland  was  rearranged  by 
the  Congress  of  Vienna  in  1815,  the  original 
shares  of  Prussia  and  Austria  were  diminished,  and 
that  part  of  the  duchy  of  Warsaw  which  was  not 
restored  to  Prussia  and  Austria  was  united  as  the 
kingdom  of  Poland  to  the  Russian  Empire,  but 
merely  by  the  bond  of  a  personal  union  (the  same 
monarch  being  the  sovereign  of  each),  the  two 
states  being  wholly  independent  of  and  uncon- 
nected with  each  other;  and  the  other  parts  of 
Poland  were  completely  incorporated  with  the 
kingdoms  which  had  seized  them.  As  if  in 


A  Brief  History  of  Poland.  365 

mockery  of  its  spirit  of  independence,  the  town  of 
Cracow  with  a  small  surrounding  territory,  was 
declared  free  and  independent,  under  the  guardian- 
ship of  Austria. 

The  Czar  at  first  gave  a  liberal  constitution, 
including  biennial  diets,  a  responsible  ministry, 
an  independent  judiciary,  a  separate  standing 
army,  and  liberty  of  the  press;  and  he  seemed 
to  take  pride  in  his  title  of  King  of  Poland; 
but  his  brother  Constantine,  having  been  appointed 
military  governor,  speedily  put  an  end  to  the 
harmony  between  the  Czar  and  the  Poles,  and 
drove  the  latter  into  insurrection.  This  discontent 
at  first  found  vent  in  secret  societies;  but  on 
November  30,  1830,  Constantine  and  his  Russians 
were  driven  out  of  Warsaw,  and  a  general  insur- 
rection of  the  people,  headed  by  the  aristocracy, 
took  place.  Prince  Czartoryski  was  appointed 
president  of  the  provisional  government,  and 
military  leaders,  as  Radzivil,  Dembinski,  Bern,  etc., 
were  soon  found ;  but  a  general  want  of  energy 
in  the  administration,  dilatoriness  on  the  part  of 
of  the  military  leaders,  and  the  checking  of  the 
spread  of  the  insurrection  till  fruitless  negotiations 
had  been  entered  into  with  Nicholas,  were  errors 
fatal  to  the  success  of  the  Poles.  From  January, 
1831,  till  September  8th  of  the  same  year,  a  series 
of  bloody  conflicts  were  fought,  in  which  the 
Prussians,  and  Austrians,  with  pitiable  subservi- 


366  A  Brief  History  of  Poland. 

ence,  aided  the  Czar.  At  first  the  Poles  were 
successful;  but  the  taking  of  the  capital  by  Paske- 
vitch  soon  ended  the  war,  which  was  followed  as  a 
matter  of  course  by  imprisonment,  banishment,  con- 
fiscation, and  enforced  service  in  the  Russian  army. 
From  this  time  the  independence  of  Poland  was 
suppressed,  and  in  1832  it  was  declared  to  be  an 
integral  part  of  the  Russian  Empire,  with  a  separate 
administration  headed  by  a  viqeroy  of  the  Czar's 
choosing;  the  constitution  and  laws  were  abrogated; 
strict  censorship  of  the  press,  and  the  Russian  spy 
police  system  established  in  all  its  vigor ;  the 
country  was  robbed  of  all  its  rich  literary  collec- 
tions and  works  of  art;  and  the  most  severe  of 
arbitrary  measures  taken  to  Russianize  the  people. 
The  outbreaks  of  1833  and  1846  were  punished  by 
the  gallows.  Simultaneous  disturbances  (1846)  in 
the  Prussian  and  Austrian  portions  of  Poland  were 
summarily  suppressed;  their  leaders  in  Prussia 
were  imprisoned  and  only  saved  from  death  by  the 
revolution  of  March,  1848,  at  Berlin.  On  Novem- 
ber 6,  1846,  the  republic  of  Cracow  was  incorpor- 
ated with  Austria.  After  the  accession  of  the  Czar 
Alexander  II.,  in  1855,  the  condition  of  the  Poles 
was  considerably  ameliorated  ;  an  act  of  amnesty 
brought  back  many  of  the  expatriated  Poles,  and 
various  other  reforms  were  hoped  for,  when,  in  1861, 
another  insurrection  broke  out.  Its  origion  is 
curious,  and  gives  a  thorough  insight  into  the  rela- 


A  Brief  History  of  Poland.  367 

tions  between  the  Poles  and  their  Russian  rulers. 
A  large  multitude  (30,000)  had  assembled  in  the 
neighborhood  of  the  battle-field  of  Grochow  (where 
two  battles  had  been  fought  in  the  spring  of  1831) 
to  pray  for  the  souls  of  those  who  had  fallen;  they 
were  engaged  in  prayer  and  in  singing  religious 
chants,  when  they  were  charged  by  the  Russian 
cavalry  and  gens  d'armes,  several  of  them  killed,  and 
numerous  arrests  made.  This  event  excited  intense 
national  feeling  throughout  the  country;  and  other 
national  demonstrations,  attended  with  similar  mas- 
sacres on  the  part  of  the  Russians,  produced  such 
an  intense  dislike  to  the  latter  that  most  of  the 
Poles  in  the  Russian  service  either  resigned  or 
deserted.  The  Russians  immediately  had  recourse 
to  the  most  severely  repressive  measures, 
forbidding  all  assemblages  even  in  the  churches, 
punishing  those  who  had  appeared  to  mourn  the 
death  of  relatives  killed  in  the  previous  massacres, 
or  who  wore  garments  of  certain  shapes  or  colors. 
The  application  of  the  Polish  nation  to  the  Czar 
(February  28)  for  the  reestablishment  of  the  Polish 
nationality,  was  rejected,  but  certain  necessary 
reforms  were  promised.  These  reforms  were  on 
the  whole  very  liberal,  and  tended  greatly  to  allay 
the  general  excitement ;  but  the  Russian  govern- 
ment was  very  naturally  not  trusted  by  the  Poles, 
and  new  disturbances  broke  out  in  October  of  the 
same  year.  Poland  was  then  declared  to  be  in  a  state 


368  A  Brief  History  of  Poland. 

of  siege,  and  General  Luders  appointed  military 
commandant  under  the  Grand  Duke  Constantine, 
the  nephew  of  the  Grand  Duke  Constantine  above 
mentioned.  The  country  continued  in  a  state  of 
commotion  without  any  very  decided  outbreak; 
attempts  were  made  to  assassinate  the  grand  duke 
and  the  other  Russian  officials  ;  and  on  January  13, 
1863,  Lithuania  and  Volhynia  were  also  put  in  a 
state  of  siege.  The  committee  of  the  national  in- 
surrection issued  its  first  'proclamation  in  February, 
1863;  and  a  week  afterward  Mieroslavski  raised 
the  standard  of  insurrection  in  the  northwest,  on 
the  Posen  frontier.  The  insurrection  committee 
continued  to  guide  the  revolt  by  issuing  proclama- 
tions from  time  to  time ;  and  many  districts  of 
Augustovo,  Radom,  Lublin,  Volhynia,  and  Lithuania 
were  speedily  in  insurrection.  It  was  a  mere 
guerilla  war,  and  no  great  or  decisive  conflicts  took 
place  ;  but  the  sympathy  of  Europe  was  largely 
enlisted  on  behalf  of  the  Poles.  Remonstrances 
from  Spain,  Sweden,  Austria,  France  and  Britain 
conjointly  and  repeatedly,  Italy,  the  Low  Countries, 
Denmark,  and  Portugal,  were  wholly  disregarded 
by  the  Czar's  ministers,  and  mutual  reprisals  con- 
tinued ;  incendiarism  and  murder  reigned  rampant; 
the  wealthier  Poles  were  ruined  by  fines  and  con- 
fiscations ;  and  the  whole  population  of  villages 
were  put  to  the  sword  by  the  Russians ;  while 
murders  and  assassinations  marked  the  reign  of 


A  Brief  History  of  Poland.  369 

terror  of  the  national  committee.  At  last,  with  the 
officious  assistance  of  Prussia,  and  the  secret  sym- 
pathy and  support  of  Austria,  the  Czar's  troops 
succeeded  m  trampling  out  (1864)  the  last  embers 
of  insurrection.  Great  numbers  of  men,  women, 
and  even  children,  concerned  in,  or  supposed  to 
have  favored  the  revolt,  were  executed;  crowds 
were  transported  to  Siberia ;  and  these  vigorous 
measures  seem  to  have  restored  "tranquillity,  but 
it  is  the  tranquillity  of  the  desert."  Contemporary 
with  this  last  outbreak,  symptoms  of  similar  dis- 
affection were  distinctly  noticeable  in  Prussian 
Poland,  but  a  strong  force  of  soldiery  in  the  border 
districts  toward  Russia  prevented  any  outbreak. 
It  deserves  to  be  noticed  that,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  the  single  revolt  of  1846  (which  perished 
almost  of  itself),  no  rebellion  has  ever  taken  place 
in  the  portion  of  Poland  belonging  to  Austria. 


37°  Life  of  King  John  Sobieski. 


LIFE    OF    KING    JOHN    SOBIESKI,   OR 
JOHN  III.  OF  POLAND. 

In  the  year  1629,  when  Sigismund  reigned  in 
Poland,  Louis  XIII.  in  France,  the  unfortunate 
Charles  I.  in  England,  the  victorious  Gustavus 
Adolphus  in  Sweden,  was  born  John  Sobieski,  in 
the  castle  of  Olesko.  Sobieski  was  a  descendant 
from  two  families  whose  origin  the  Polish  geneal- 
ogists have  placed  high  in  the  obscure  ages  of 
antiquity.  It  is  a  truth  of  greater  certainty  that  in 
both  of  the  families  there  has  been  a  succession  of 
virtues  infinitely  more  valuable  than  the  highest 
pedigree. 

The  famous  Zolkiewski,  the  grandfather  of 
Sobieski  on  the  mother's  side,  defeated  the  Mus- 
covites in  1610;  took  the  Czar  Bafilius,  and 
brought  him  to  Sigismund  III.  In  the  year  1620 
Zolkiewski  forced  his  way  through  a  hundred 
thousand  Turks  and  Tartars  who  invested  him  in 
Moldavia,  retreating  before  this  formidable  host, 
which  pursued  and  harassed  him  during  a  march, 
of  a  hundred  leagues.  The  intrepid  palatine  after- 
ward met  his  death  at  the  attack  of  Sokol,  a 
Russian  fortress  which  the  Poles  took  by  storm. 
Such  was  the  grandfather  of  John  Sobieski;  and 
his  father,  JamesSobieski,  was  not  a  degenerate  son. 


Life  of  King  John  Sobieski.  371 

Poland  will  long  remember  the  famous  battle  of 
Choczim,  fought  in  1621,  in  which  the  young  Prince 
Wladislas,  son  of  King  Sigismund  III.,  had  the 
title  of  commander-in-chief;  but  the  business  was 
in  fact  done  by  James  Sobieski,  in  the  absence  of 
the  grand  general.  Two  hundred  thousand  Turks 
and  Tartars  in  that  action  were  defeated  by  sixty- 
five  thousand  Poles  and  Cossacks. 

James  Sobieski  had  two  sons,  Mark  and  John, 
whose  education  he  considered  devolved  upon 
himself.  Before  they  learned  languages,  he  took 
care  that  they  should  be  acquainted  with  things, 
and  talked  to  them  of  justice,  beneficence,  and 
respect  to  the  laws,  as  frequently  as  of  military 
glory.  John  was  of  a  lively,  ardent,  and  impetu- 
ous temper ;  strongly  bent  upon  whatever  he  set 
his  mind;  greedy  of  praise,  and  more  easily 
wrought  upon  by  disgrace  than  punishment. 

At  an  early  age  he  and  his  brother  Mark  visited 
France  for  the  purpose  of  completing  their  educa- 
tion, and  applied  themselves  to  the  study  of 
languages.  The  younger  one,  John,  soon  became 
master  of  six  languages:  French,  German,  Italian, 
Spanish,  Russian,  and  Latin.  After  this  they 
visited  Constantinople,  where  they  prolonged 
their  stay  with  a  view  of  becoming  thoroughly 
acquainted  with  the  power  that  was  so  often  at 
war  with  Poland.  While  in  Constantinople,  their 
father  died  and  left  his  sons  an  inheritance  of 


37 2  Life  of  King  John  Sobieski.. 

greater  value  in  the  memory  of  his  virtues,  than  in 
the  possession  of  his  vast  estates.  Just  as  they 
were  about  leaving  Constantinople,  they  learned 
that  a  war  had  broken  out  between  Turkey. and 
Poland.  They  rushed  at  once  to  their  home,  for 
the  defense  of  their  country.  The  Polish  army 
had  already  met  with  disaster  before  their  arrival. 

When  their  mother  beheld  them,  she  asked: 
"Are  you  come  to  avenge  your  country?  I 
renounce  you  forever  as  my  sons,  if  you  behave 
like  the  combatants  of  Pilawiecz." 

What  had  hitherto  been  done  by  John  Sobieski, 
now  the  chief  of  his  family,  was  but  a  prelude  to  his 
future  exploits  in  war.  A  single  event  displayed 
the  credit  that  he  had  acquired  in  so  short  a  time. 
The  Polish  army  had  mutinied  in  the  camp  of 
Zborow,  a  city  of  Little  Poland,  upon  the  borders 
of  Podolia ;  and  every  method  of  quieting  the 
sedition,  by  persuasion,  menace,  and  even  the 
cannon  of  the  Lithuanians,  was  made  use  of  in  vain 
by  General  Czarniecki.  The  attempt  was  given  up 
as  hopeless,  when  John  Sobieski  desired  to  be 
employed.  .  The  temerity  of  extraordinary  men  is 
justified  by  the  success  that  attends  it.  It  is  easy 
to  conceive  what  address  and  eloquence  he  needed 
to  persuade  men  who  had  arms  in  their  hands. 
The  young  orator  carried  his  point  and  won  empire 
over  the  minds  of  men  in  a  way  which  would  have 
done  honor  to  a  consummate  general.  That  achieve- 


Life  of  King  John  Sobieski.  373 

ment  advanced  to  the  height  of  glory  a  youth  who 
had  as  yet  borne  no  public  office.  The  army  now 
advanced  toward  the  Cossacks  with  that  unanimity 
of  sentiment  which  is  a  sure  prestige  of  victory. 
The  battle  lasted  several  days  and  the  enemy  lost 
more  than  twenty  thousand  men.  Shortly  after 
this,  peace  was  declared,  and  Sobieski  was 
rewarded  by  the  king  making  him  standard-bearer 
of  the  crown. 

But  while  John  Sobieski  served  in  the  army 
that  was  beaten  upon  all  occasions,  he  was  learn- 
ing to  conquer.  The  first  battle  that  he  fought  as 
commander  was  against  the  army  of  Charles  Gus- 
tavus  of  Sweden,  whose  troops  were  composed  of 
Prussian  and  Swedish  men,  and  were  commanded 
by  Douglas.  Though  Douglas  largely  outnum- 
bered him,  yet  Sobieski  totally  defeated  him  and 
drove  him  eight  miles  toward  Warsaw.  Sweden 
now  asked  for  peace,  and  it  was  granted. 

The  republic  had  still  two  enemies — the  Mus- 
covites and  the  Cossacks — to  deal  with,  and  it  was 
of  the  utmost  importance  to  prevent  their  junction; 
and  there  was  wanted  a  man  of  ability  to  execute 
the  commission;  so  Sobieski  was  advanced  from 
standard-bearer  of  the  crown  to  the  dignity  of 
grand  marshal. 

John  Sobieski  having  learned  to  conquer  while 
serving  under  Lubomirski,  now  prepared  to  sur- 
pass his  master.  Hitherto  he  had  lived  in  a  con- 


374  Life  of  King  John  Sobieski. 

tinual  scene  of  combats,  in  which,  being  unmarried, 
he  had  often  risked  his  life  and  his  family's 
together.  Besides  he  now  drew  near  the  thirty- 
sixth  year  of  his  age. 

Among  the  maids  of  honor  whom  the  queen 
had  brought  from  France,  without  suspecting  that 
she  brought  among  them  a  future  queen,  the  Polish 
nobles  took  particular  notice  of  one  whom  the  queen 
herself  honored  with  peculiar  favor.  Her  name 
was  Mary  Casimira  De  La  Grange,  daughter  of 
Henry  De  La  Grange  and  Frances  De  La  Chatre. 
Henry  De  La  Grange  was  better  known  as  Marquis 
D'Arquien,  captain  of  the  guard  to  Phillip  of 
Orleans.  His  daughter  Mary,  who  followed  the 
queen  into  Poland,  married  Radziwill,  the  Palatine 
of  Sendomir,  and  Prince  of  Zamoiski  (a  town  of 
Poland,  in  the  palatinate  of  Beltz),  by  whom  she 
had  four  children;  and  the  father  did  not  live  long 
afterward.  .  John  Sobieski  asked  her  hand  in  mar- 
riage, which  was  granted,  and  the  marriage  was 
consummated. 

After  the  death  of  Czarniecki,  John  Sobieski 
was  made  second  in  command.  He  had  only  one 
step  left  to  become  the  most  considerable  person 
in  the  republic.  The  grand  general,  Potoski,  died 
this  year  (1667)  and  Sobieski  succeeded  to  his  staff. 

An  army  of  eighty  thousand  Tartars  appeared 
upon  the  frontier  of  the  kingdom.  Poland,  so 
exhausted  by  her  great  wars,  had  neither  money 


Life  of  Kiflg  John  Sobieski.  375 

nor  men  to  meet  them,  having  only  ten  or  twelve 
thousand  all  told  to  confront  this  mighty  host  of 
Tartars.  The  republic  expected  nothing  but  ruin. 
John  Sobieski  meanwhile  had  become  the  general- 
in-chief  of  the  republic;  so,  gathering  together 
twenty  thousand  men  after  the  greatest  exertion, 
and  supplying  the  treasury  from  his  own  purse,  he 
went  out  to  meet  an  army  of  one  hundred 
thousand  Tartars  and  Cossacks. 

In  a  letter  addressed  to  his  wife,  he  said:  "I 
am  going  to  shut  myself  up  in  a  fortified  camp 
before  Podahieoz,  a  place  that  Doroscensko,  the 
Cossack  general,  intended  to  besiege."  Also  that 
on  the  morrow  and  the  following  days  he  would 
sally  out  upon  the  enemy;  that  he  had  placed 
ambuscades  on  all  sides,  and  that  in  the  end  he 
would  ruin  this  great  army  of  Tartars. 

The  Prince  of  Conti,  to  whom  this  letter  was 
shown,  could  see  no  possibility  of  success.  Most 
of  the  Polish  officers  loudly  condemned  it,  declar- 
ing it  was  madness  to  divide  so  small  an  army; 
but  Sobieski  replied  that  he  should  stand  by  his 
plan,  and  those  who  were  not  brave  enough  to 
face  a  glorious  death,  "Let  them  retire,"  said  he; 
"but  as  for  myself,  I  shall  stay  here  with  those 
brave  souls  who  love  their  country.  This  crowd 
of  robbers  make  no  impression  upon  my  mind.  I 
know  that  heaven  has  often  given  victory  to  small 
numbers,  when  animated  with  valor,  and  can  you 


376  Life  of  King  Joh'n  Sobieski. 

doubt  but  God  will  be  for  us  against  these  infidels!" 
All  who  were  present  looked  at  each  other  and 
blushed,  and  no  one  thought  of  leaving  the  camp. 

The  battle  was  fought,  and  this  mighty  host  of 
Mohammedans  was  utterly  defeated  by  the  Spartan 
band  of  twenty  thousand  Poles;  and  Sobieski 
became  one  of  the  great  captains  of  the  age,  and 
all  Europe  was  astounded.  The  Mohammedans 
then  asked  for  peace,  which  was  granted. 

General  John  Sobieski  returned  to  Warsaw* 
where  he  was  received  by  acclamation. 

King  Casirnir  now  resigned  his  throne,  and  the 
nobles  were  assembled  to  elect  his  successor.  The 
place  of  election  was  in  the  field  of  Wola,  at  the 
gates  of  Warsaw.  All  the  nobles  of  the  kingdom 
had  the  right  to  vote;  so  more  than  two  hundred 
thousand  men  assembled  to  exercise  the  highest 
act  of  freedom.  All  candidates  were  excluded 
from  the  field,  and  the  vote  must  be  unani- 
mous; and  the  result  of  the  election  in  this  in- 
stance was  the  selection  of  Michael  Wisniowiecki, 
a  young  man  thirty  years  old,  whose  reign  was 
signalized  by  utter  lack  of  ability  and  appreciation 
for  his  high  office. 

The  most  remarkable  thing  of  his  reign  was  the 
making  of  a  treaty  with  the  Turks,  by  which  all  of 
Ukraine  and  Podolia,  two  flourishing  provinces, 
were  yielded  to  the  Mohammedans,  and  a  guarantee 
was  given  to  pay  an  annual  tribute  of  one  hundred 


Life  of  King  John  Sobieski.  377 

thousand  ducats.  The  Diet  of  Poland  rejected 
this  treaty  under  the  swaying  influence  of  John 
Sobieski's  eloquence.  Said  Sobieski:  "How  will 
the  rejection  of  this  treaty  be  received  at  Constan- 
tinople? With  great  indignation,  no  doubt,"  he 
replied;  "but  we  have  courage  and  sabers  still  left 
us;  we  will  not  wait  for  the  enemy  to  come  to  us, 
but  we  must  immediately  go  to  them."  And  the 
treaty  was  rejected  amid  the  ringing  acclamation  of 
the  Diet.  Some  said  that  the  Greeks  would  have 
taken  Sobieski  for  the  God  Apollo,  whose  oracles 
disclose  futurity ;  others  were  for  reviving  the  doc- 
trine of  Pythagoras,  and  insisted  upon  it  that  the 
souls  of  all  the  ancient  heroes  were  united  in  one 
and  passed  into  General  John  Sobieski's  body.  It  is 
certain  that  he  was  greater  than  the  king  who 
heard  all  of  this  from  his  throne. 

General  Sobieski,  at  the  head  of  the  army,  at 
once  marched  toward  the  Turkish  camp  at  Choc- 
zim.  The  fortifications  of  this  place  were  deemed 
impregnable.  It  was  defended  by  a  hundred 
thousand  Turks.  Sobieski's  army  numbered  but 
twenty  thousand.  The  battle  was  fought  the  first 
of  August.  It  was  the  most  bloody  and  awful 
conflict  that  ever  occurred  between  the  Moham- 
medans and  the  Christians,  and  the  victory  for 
Sobieski  was  complete  at  every  point.  At  the 
close  of  the  battle,  the  river  was  covered  with  ten 


378  Life  of  King  John  Sobieski. 

thousand  drowning  Turks,  and  the  earth  with 
twenty  thousand  of  their  slain. 

If  we  consider  the  vast  superiority  of  the  con- 
quered army,  the  whole  looks  like  a  fable  ;  but  one 
of  these  two  suppositions  will  account  for  it:  either 
it  is  a  great  disadvantage  to  wait  for  an  enemy  in 
entrenchments,  or  heaven  fought  on  the  side  of  the 
Poles.  There  is  a  third  supposition  which  will 
perhaps  give  a  still  better  solution.  When  men 
fight  not  for  the  whim  of  a  sovereign,  but  for  the 
real  interests  of  themselves  and  their  country,  they 
are  raised  above  mortals. 

The  king  of  Poland  dying  at  this  time,  a  new 
election  was  held,  and  the  one  who  was  in  the  eyes 
and  hearts  of  all  his  countrymen,  alone  could  be 
elected;  and  John  Sobieski  was  elected  by  accla- 
mation. After  being  elected  to  the  kingship  of 
Poland,  refusing  to  wait  for  a  coronation,  he 
marched  out  with  his  army  again  to  meet  the  foe. 
Then  ensued  a  series  of  battles  and  victories  that 
were  never  excelled  by  the  great  Napoleon  himself. 

We  will  now  pass  rapidly,  and  consider  his 
crowning  act  of  glory  in  rescuing  Vienna.  But 
before  we  speak  of  this,  we  will  pause  for  a 
moment  to  speak  of  his  coronation,  which  was  one 
of  the  most  brilliant  the  world  has  ever  seen.  All 
the  magnificence  of  Asia  was  seen  united  with  all 
the  elegance  of  Europe.  Slaves  from  Ethiopia  and 
the  East,  clothed  in  azure  habits;  young  Poles  in 


Life  of  King  John  Sobieski.  379 

purple  robes;  a  whole  army  dressed  to  the  greatest 
advantage,  the  equipages  of  men  and  horses 
contending  with  each  other  in  splendor,  the  gold 
eclipsed  by  jewels;  such  was  the  procession  in  the 
midst  of  which  Sobieski  appeared  upon  a  Persian 
horse,  going  to  take  possession  of  a  crown  which 
he  had  merited  by  his  virtues. 

Mohammed  now  raised  an  army  of  a  hundred 
and  twenty  thousand  men,  reenforced  by  Tartars  so 
that  it  numbered  two  hundred  thousand.  Sobieski 
marched  against  them  with  thirty-eight  thousand 
men.  Again  the  Mohammedans  were  beaten,  and 
sued  for  peace.  In  four  campaigns  Mohammed 
had  lost  more  than  two  hundred  thousand  men,  and 
Little  Poland,  with  her  great  king,  was  the  trium- 
phant defender  of  Christendom. 

In  the  spring  of  1683,  news  arrived  that  the 
Ottoman  forces  were  arriving  out  of  Asia  and 
Africa  in  the  vast  and  fertile  plains  of  Adrianople, 
their  usual  place  of  rendezvous  when  they  marched 
against  the  Christians.  It  was  soon  found  that 
their  objective  point  was  Vienna,  the  capital  of 
Austria.  They  were  reenforced  by  fifty  thousand 
Hungarians,  making  an  army  of  more  than  a  half 
million  of  men.  It  was  the  largest  Mohammedan 
army  that  was  ever  martialed  or  led;  it  was  com- 
manded by  Kara  Mustapha,  the  favorite  general 
of  Mohammed  IV.  He  arrived  at  the  walls  of 
Vienna  in  the  early  part  of  July,  and  completely 


380  Life  of  King  John  Sobieski. 

invested  the  city.  King  Sobieski  arrived  in  the 
immediate  vicinity  of  Vienna  two  months  later,  for 
its  relief.  His  army  numbered  about  seventy 
thousand  men,  German  and  Polisfy  troops;  and  on 
the  12th  of  September  was  fought  the  great  battle 
by  which  Sobieski  dealt  the  Mohammedans  such 
a  terrible  and  crushing  defeat  that  it  shattered  the 
Mohammedan  army  completely ;  and  from  the 
effects  of  that  terrible  defeat  the  Mohammedan 
power  has  never  recovered  to  this  day. 

King  Sobieski  stood  now  at  the  zenith  of  his 
power  and  glory.  His  health  began  to  fail  him  in 
about  1691.  He  had  been  for  forty  years  a 
soldier.  He  is  described  when  young  as  being 
something  over  six  feet  tall,  with  a  high,  massive 
forehead,  with  wonderful  eyes  of  blackness  and 
beauty,  and  a  mass  of  dark  brown  curls.  He  was 
called  the  handsomest  man  of  his  day.  He  was 
abstemious  in  his  habits,  pious  in  his  religion, 
gentle,  loving,  and  affectionate,  in  his  disposition. 
He  was  so  fascinating  in  his  manners  that  he 
captivated  all  with  whom  he  came  in  contact. 
He  was  so  pure  in  his  morals,  that  when  we 
consider  the  age  in  which  he  lived,  he  was  nothing 
less  than  a  phenomenon.  His  zeal  for  religion  was 
free  from  the  acrimony  of  an  intolerant  spirit. 
Greeks,  Protestants,  and  Jews,  and  some  remains  of 
the  Socinians  (Unitarians)  lived  in  peace  under  his 
government;  He  died  of  apoplexy  on  the  17th 


King  John  Sobieski,  1683.  381 

day  of  June,  1696,  on  the  twenty-third  anniversary 
of  his  election,  and  in  the  sixty-seventh  year  of 
his  age. 

Charles  XII.,  the  Alexander  of  the  North, 
lamented  his  death  in  these  emphatic  terms:  "So 
great  a  king  ought  never  to  have  died". 


KING  JOHN    SOBIESKI,    1683. 

BY   DAISY    HUBBARD   CARLOCK. 

Splendid  is  the  tent  of  Kara, 

Silken,  broidered  thick  with  gold; 
Set  with  Orient  gems  whose  luster 

Gleams  from  every  wind-swung  fold. 
Vast  and  mighty  is  the  army 

Camped  before  Vienna's  gates; 
-Crescent-shaped,  the  horde  of  Mongols, 

Sure  of  triumph,  calmly  waits. 
Leopold  has  fled  before  them, 

Scarce  escaping  with  his  life; 
Court  and  nobles  quickly  follow, 

Fearful  of  the  coming  strife. 
Far  abound  the  royal  city, 

Smoke  ascends  from  Hungary's  plain ; 


382  King  John  Sobieski,  1683. 

Where  were  town  and  peasant  cottage, 

Blackened  ruins  now  remain. 
Who  will  hasten  to  deliver 

From  the  proud  invader's  might? 
Surely  God  will  hear  his  people, 

Turn  their  darkness  into  light ! 
Lo, — from  Poland  comes  the  rescue, 

Sobieski  leads  the  van ; 
Warrior-king  and  Europe's  savior, 

Patriot-prince  and  noble  man  ! 
"Not  Vienna,  but  Christ's  kingdom, 

Do  we  fight  this  day  to  save," — 
This  the  watch-word  Sobieski 

To  his  valiant  legions  gave. 
"Not  for  earthly  monarchs  strike  we, 

But  for  Christ,  the  King  of  kings." 
"Sobieski,"  shout  the  soldiers, 

And  the  air  with  tumult  rings. 
Dreaded  name,  that  to  the  foemen, 

Terror  brings  and  dire  dismay ; 
For  in  many  a  well-fought  battle 

Has  he  held  their  hosts  at  bay. 
Forward  dashes  Sobieski ! 

"Allah  !  "  cries  the  Turkish  chief, 
'  'Surely  now  their  king  is  with  them  •" 

Sharp  the  conflict. is  and  brief. 
Six  pashas  are  slain  ere  evening, 

Kara  and  his  khans  have  fled 
From  the  field  where  lie  the  thousands 

Of  his  conquered  army — dead. 
On  the  roll  of  earth's  great  heroes, 

Who  have  won  undying  fame, 
Graven  in  light  shines  "Sobieski," 

Brave  and  true,  a  glorious  name. 


Colonel  John  Sobieski,  1892.  383 

II 
COLONEL   JOHN    SOBIESKI,    1892. 

Where  Missouri's  stream  is  flowing 

O'er  the  prairies  of  the  West, 
Where  the  Mississippi's  borders 

With  the  flowers  of  Spring  are  drest, 
Sobieski's  name  is  chosen 

On  our  banners  to  be  borne. 
Let  us  rally  round  our  standard, 

Praying  for  the  coming  morn, 
When  with  victory  on  our  pennons, 

Men  have  heeded  the  command, 
"  Strike  for  God  and  free  His  people, 

Save  your  homes  and  native  land." 
Not  alone  in  ancient  story 

Are  the  world's  great  lessons  taught; 
Not  alone  on  fields  of  carnage 

Are  the  grandest  victories  wrought ; 
If  we  count  "earth's  chosen  heroes," 

Those  whose  lives  have  been  sublime, 
Men  whose  principles  make  impress 

On  the  record  of  their  time, 
They  are  men,  who,  seeing  Duty, 

Tread  its  path  nor  backward  turn, 
"  Buy  the  truth"  and  sell  it  never, 

Teach  what  they  through  trial  learn.  , 

In  this  age  of  great  achievement, 

Men  are  needed  who  will  stand 
'Gainst  the  hosts  of  sin  and  ruin 

Threatening  to  destroy  the  land. 
When  a  Carthaginian  army 

Marched  victorious  on  to  Rome, 
And  the  baffled  Romans  gathered 


384  Colonel  John  Sobieski,  1892. 

To  defend  their  seven-hilled  home, 
Faith  in  Rome  was  so  triumphant, 

That  the  soil  outside  the  wall, 
Trampled  then  by  feet  of  foemen 

Waiting  for  the  city's  fall, 
Sold  at  auction  in  the  Forum, 

Brought  its  price  in  Tuscan  gold ; 
And  this  tale  of  faith  undaunted 

Through  the  centuries  has  been  told. 
Let  us  doubt  not  Truth  will  triumph, 

They  must  win  who  side  with  right, 
"  No  surrender"  be  our  watchword, 

God  is  King,  and  Truth  is  might. 
"  Not  our  own,  but  His  the  glory," 

As*  of  old,  cried  Poland's  king, 
Sobieski  still  is  leading, 

And  the  Lord  will  victory  bring. 


CENTRAL  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARY 


DATE  DUE 

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a  39 

UCSD  Libr. 

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